THE  LIFE  AND  VENTURES 

OF  THE  ORIGINAL 

JOHN  JACOB  ASTOR 


II  L.GEBHARD 


THE  LIFE  AND  VENTURES 

OF  THE  ORIGINAL 

JOHN   JACOB  ASTOR 


The  Life  and  Ventures 

OF  THE  ORIGINAL 

JOHN  JACOB  ASTOR 


By  ELIZABETH  I/  GEBHARD  1353 

Author  of  "The  Parsonage  Between  Two  Manors." 


WITH  ILLUSTRATIONS 


BRYAN  PRINTING  COMPANY 

HUDSON,  N.  Y. 

1915 


COPYRIGHT,  1915 

BY 
ELIZABETH  L.  GEBHARD 


b^ 
] 


U      J 

ACADEMY  OF    1 
PACIFIC  COAST) 

HISTORY 

'  ~— »-»<^a»J 


TO     THE     BOYS 
WHO  COURAGEOUSLY  WORK  THEIR  OWN  WAY 

THIS     BOOK     IS 
APPRECIATIVELY      DEDICATED. 


FOREWORD 

John  Jacob  Astor  was  pre-eminently  the  opener  of 
new  paths,  a  breaker  of  trails.  From  his  first  tramp 
alone  through  the  Black  Forest  of  Baden,  at  sixteen, 
his  life  never  lost  this  typical  touch.  In  America,  both 
shores  of  the  Hudson,  and  the  wilderness  to  the  North- 
west knew  his  trail.  The  trees  of  the  forests  west  of 
the  Mississippi  were  blazed  by  his  hunters  and  trap- 
pers; and  his  partners  and  agents  planted  through  this 
vast  region  the  flag  of  the  American  Fur  Company. 
The  Atlantic  and  Pacific  Oceans  were  invisibly  lined  by 
the  path  of  his  vessels.  His  were  the  first  American 
ships  to  habitually  circle  the  globe,  trading  around  the 
earth.  With  his  far-sighted  vision  withdrawn  from 
distant  scenes,  and  centered  on  Manhattan  Island,  he 
led  the  way  toward  the  upbuilding  of  the  largest,  and 
most  important  city  in  the  new  world. 

Emboldened  by  Walter  Barrett,  the  racy  writer  of 
' 'Old  Merchants  of  New  York/'  who  assures  his  read- 
ers, that  "no  man  would  enjoy  the  publication  of  the 
true  facts  concerning  his  life,  more  than  Mr.  Astor, 
himself,  were  he  alive, ' '  I  have  not  hesitated  to  give  the 
initial  steps  in  this  great  man's  career,  feeling  that 
humble  and  arduous  as  they  were,  they  held  the  key- 
note to  his  later  successes. 

WTioever   breaks   for  his   fellows  new   and  valuable 


XI 


FOREWORD 


paths,  serves  his  countrymen  and  the  generations 
which  come  after  him  in  a  peculiar  manner.  It  haa 
been  my  endeavor  to  give  some  history  of  John  Jacob 
Astor's  service  in  this  direction,  in  the  pages  which 
follow,  as  well  as  to  offer  some  account  of  the  personal 
character,  aspirations  and  ideals,  which  governed  this 
remarkable  man. 

In  compiling  this  history,  the  writer  has  gleaned  in- 
formation from  many  sources.  Letters  and  descrip- 
tions written  from  Waldorf,  Germany,  have  made  the 
little  town  very  real.  A  Chronicle  of  the  House  of  Wal- 
dorf;  The  Journal  of  Rev.  Johann  Heinrich  Helffrich, 
(A  diary  of  his  voyage  across  the  Atlantic  in  1771) ; 
The  Records  of  the  German  Reformed  Church  in  New 
York;  and  an  article  on  John  Jacob  Astor,  in  Harper's, 
1865,  have  all  shed  light  on  the  German  side  of  John 
Jacob  Astor's  life. 

Beside  these,  I  have  consulted:  Old  Merchants  of 
New  York,  by  Walter  Barrett,  Clerk;  (Joseph  A.  Sco- 
ville)  ;  The  Astor  Genealogy,  by  Joel  Munsell's  Sons; 
The  Todd  Genealogy;  National  Encyclopedia  o* 
American  Biography;  Historic  Families  of  America, 
by  Walter  W.  Spooner;  Prominent  Families  of  New 
York,  edited  by  L.  H.  Weeks ;  Famous  Families  of  New 
York,  by  Margherita  Arlina  Hamm;  John  Jacob  As- 
tor, by  William  Waldorf  Astor,  Pall  Mall  Magazine, 


XII 


FOREWORD 


1899;  Story  of  the  Astor  Family,  by  W.  Chambers, 
Chambers'  Journal;  John  Jacob  Astor.  by  Julian 
Ralph,  Chautauquan,  1891;  The  Astor  Family  in  New 
York,  Scribner's,  1876;  The  Astor  Family,  by  W.  S. 
Bridgman,  Munsey's;  The  Astor  Family,  by  Harold 
Parker,  Munsey's;  The  Astor  Fortune,  by  Burton  J. 
Hendricks,  McClure's  Magazine;  History  of  the  City 
of  New  York,  by  Mrs.  Martha  J.  Lamb ;  Memorial  His- 
tory of  the  City  of  New  York,  by  James  Grant  Wilson ; 
Famous  Americans  of  Recent  Times,  by  James  Parton ; 
New  York,  the  Metropolis;  When  Old  New  York  was 
Young,  by  Charles  Hemstreet;  In  Olde  New  York,  by 
Charles  Burr  Todd;  Reminiscences,  by  Julia  Ward 
Howe;  The  Early  History  of  Saugerties,  by  Benjamin 
M.  Brink;  The  Hudson  River,  by  Bacon;  Manual  of 
the  Reformed  Church  in  America;  Lamed 's  History 
for  Ready  Reference;  Life  of  Thomas  Jefferson,  by 
James  Parton ;  Life  and  Times  of  Benjamin  Franklin, 
by  James  Parton;  Life  of  Washington  Irving,  by 
Pierre  M.  Irving;  Clippings  from  the  New  York 
Times;  Story  of  Astoria,  by  P.  Koch,  Magazine  of 
American  History;  Astoria,  by  Archer  Butler  Hulbert, 
Chautauquan,  1904;  The  Cruise  of  the  Tonquin,  by  C. 
F.  Brady,  Harper's  Magazine;  Astoria,  by  Washington 
Irving;  Our  Lost  Opportunity  on  the  Pacific,  by  C.  M. 
Harvey,  North  American;  The  Vikings  of  the  Pacific, 

XIII 


FOREWORD 


by  A.  C.  Laut;  Adventures  on  the  Columbia  River,  by 
Ross  Cox;  Rocky  Mountains  Exploration,  by  Reuben 
Gold  Thwaites,  LL.  D. ;  Gabriel  Franchere's  Voyage  to 
the  Northwest  Coast  of  America,  1811-1814;  (English 
translation  by  J.  V.  Huntington)  ;  Adventures  of  the 
First  Settlers  011  the  Oregon  or  Columbia  River,  1810- 
1813,  by  Alexander  Ross,  edited  by  Reuben  Gold 
Thwaites,  LL.D. ;  Breckenridge  's  Journal  Up  the 
Missouri,  1811,  edited  by  Reuben  Gold  Thwaites,  LL. 
D. ;  Alexander  Mackenzie 's  Voyages,  1801 ;  Journal  of 
Daniel  Harmon;  The  French  in  the  Heart  of  America, 
by  John  Finley ,  in  Scribner  's ;  The  Remarkable  History 
of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  by  George  Bryce,  M. 
A.,  LL.  D.  The  Astor  Library,  by  J.  G.  Cogswell,  Lit- 
tell's  Living  Age;  The  Astor  Library,  by  F.  R.  Saun- 
ders,  Magazine  of  American  History;  Cogswell's  Lifo 
arid  Letters,  by  Anna  Ticknor;  The  Astor  Library,  by 
P.  Koch,  Living  Age;  Early  Means  of  Transportation 
by  Land  and  Water,  by  Clara  D.  Patterson,  American 
Monthly  Magazine;  Shoe  and  Canoe,  by  John  J.  Bigs- 
by,  M.  D. ;  Travels  in  the  Western  Territories,  by  Zeb- 
ulan  Pike;  Original  Journals  of  Lewis  and  Clark  Ex- 
pedition, 1804-1806 ;  A  Letter  to  the  Honorable  Horace 
Mann,  by  Charles  Astor  Bristed;  Journals  of  Alex- 
ander Henry  and  David  Thompson,  edited  by  Elliott 
Cones ;  Diary  of  Philip  Hone. 


XIV 


CONTENTS 

Chapter  Page 

I— A  Pivotal  Day 1 

II— The  Forest   Village   on   the    Old   Roman 

Road    7 

III— The  Village   School   and  the   old  Church 

Bells    14 

IV— Waiting  Years  20 

V— John  Helffrich's  Journal 26 

VI — Leaving  Home   35 

VII — England  and  America 41 

VIII— America    50 

IX — Beginning  the  Fur  Business 58 

X— New  York  a  Little  City 66 

XI — Starting  in  Business  for  Himself 72 

XII — John  Jacob  Astor's  Home  and  Family. . .  80 
XIII— Independence  Day  While  It  was  New...  87 

XIV— Traversing  the  Wilderness 94 

XV— By  Canoe  Through  the  Great  Lakes 105 

XVI— Extending  the  Fur  Trade 119 

XVII— The  East  India  Pass  No.  68 127 

XVIII— A  New  Century 136 

XIX— A  Vision  that  Crossed  a  Continent 146 

XX— The  Voyage  of  the  Tonquin 156 

XXI— Over  the  Rockies  to  Astoria 173 

XXII— Carrying  Dispatches  to  Mr.  Astor 194 


xvir 


Contents 

XXIII— England's  Trophy   207 

XXIV— John  Jacob  Astor  and  the  War  of  1812.  .228 

XXV— Landlord  and  Airlord 236 

XXVI— The  Astor  Family 248 

XXVII— The  Astorhaus   255 

XXVIII— Homes  and  Neighbors 262 

XXIX — Literary  Friends  and  Business  Compan- 
ions     272 

XXX— Writing  "Astoria"    281 

XXXI— Founding  the  Astor  Library 292 

XXXII— Gathering  the  Threads  Together 301 


xvm 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

Page 

John   Jacob   Astor Frontispiece 

Waldorf    7 

The  Old  Reformed  Church  at  Waldorf 22 

A   Waldorf   House 22 

The  Original  Fur  Press 74 

Portage    112 

Unloading   112 

Entrance  to  the  Columbia  River 162 

Astoria,  on  the  Pacific  Coast,  1812 192 

The  Picturesque  Eden  Farm 240 

The  Old  Office  of  the  Astor  Estate 240 

Hotel  Astor    240 

Longacre  (Times)   Square 244 

The  Astorhaus  in  Waldorf 258 

The  Astor  House,  1836 268 

The  Astor  House,  1912 268 

The  Burns  Festival  Banquet 270 

John  Jacob  Astor 's  Home  on  88th  Street 288 

The  Astor  Library 296 

Interior  of  the  Astor  Library 298 


The  Life  and  Ventures 

of  the   Original 

John  Jacob  Astor 

CHAPTER  I. 
A  PIVOTAL  DAY. 

IT  was  Palm  Sunday  in  Waldorf  in  the  spring  of 
1777.    A  long  line  of  boys  and  girls  walked  in  pro 
cession  down  the  village  street  toward  the  Protes- 
tant Church.    The  girls  were  in  white,  and  the  boys  in 
their  best  suits.     Above  their  heads,  birds  were  sing 
ing,  and  within  the  fence  palings  one  could  see  early 
spring  blossoms,  in  the  flower  gardens  for  which  the 
village  was  famous. 

John  Jacob  Astor  walked  in  the  boys'  column  till 
they  reached  the  church  door,  and  disappeared  under 
the  entrance,  which  read :  * '  This  is  none  other  than  the 
house  of  God,  and  this  is  the  gate  of  heaven."  John 
Jacob,  in  common  with  the  other  young  people  con 
firmed  that  day,  had  been  taught  to  read  and  write,  to 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

cipher  as  far  as  the  "Rule  of  Three,"  to  learn  the  cate- 
chism by  heart,  and  sing  the  church  hymns, — according 
to  the  mandates  of  Valentine  Jeune,  their  school  teach- 
er,— "so  that  the  windows  should  rattle."  In  all  these 
accomplishments  the  boy  was  proficient,  and  his  teach- 
er felt  a  pardonable  pride  in  him,  not  only  in  the  ex- 
amination which  took  place  within  the  church  that 
morning,  but  also  in  those  studies  which  did  not  come 
under  the  Rev.  John  Philip  Steiner's  eye. 

After  the  children  had  all  been  examined,  the  rite  of 
confirmation  was  administered,  and  they  partook  of  their 
first  communion.  It  was  a  momentous  occasion  for  all 
these  young  people.  It  meant  the  end  of  school  life  for 
many  of  them,  and  the  beginning  of  larger  things.  As 
they  came  out  into  the  noon  sunshine  after  it  was  all 
over,  one  could  see  in  their  faces  mingled  relief  and 
awe.  Their  fourteen-year-old  mile-stone  was  passed, 
and  in  some  of  their  countenances  there  was  a  look  of 
eager  expectancy  toward  the  future.  John  Jacob's  face 
held  no  such  hopeful  expression  as  he  moved  forward 
among  the  rest.  When  he  had  turned  about,  one  saw 
that  he  was  a  stout,  sinewy  lad,  with  a  well-developed 
forehead  and  deep-set  eyes,  and  a  firmness  about  the 
mouth  and  chin  which  balanced  the  patience  in  his 
glance.  He  also  had  his  boyish  dreams,  but  they  were 
unlikely  of  fulfillment,  so  this  time  of  elation  to  others, 


A  Pivotal  Day 


was  but  one  more  day  of  endurance  to  him. 

Confirmation  Day  always  closed  with  festivity,  and 
in  the  gathering  of  kinsfolk,  many  plans  were  laid  for 
the  future  of  the  young  graduates.  Part  of  the  boys 
and  girls  were  to  become  servants;  others  wore  to  be 
apprenticed ;  while  a  very  few  left  the  village  school  for 
seats  of  broader  learning. 

Becoming  an  apprentice  in  a  German  town  of  those 
days,  was  like  sending  a  boy  to  an  individual  tutor  of 
mechanics.  The  expense  of  his  education  in  his  chosen 
field,  or  that  which  his  parents  had  selected  for  him, 
varied  according  to  the  occupation.  A  master-carpen- 
ter or  blacksmith  charged  his  apprentice  a  premium  of 
sixty  or  seventy  dollars  to  teach  him  his  trade,  a  cab- 
inet-maker asked  one  hundred,  and  it  was  useless  for  a 
boy  to  aspire  to  be  the  maker  of  musical  instruments 
or  clocks,  unless  his  father  was  able,  and  willing,  to 
pay  at  least  two  hundred  dollars  for  his  education  in 
this  special  callling. 

This  Palm  Sunday  saw  John  Jacob's  final  appeal  to 
his  father,  in  regard  to  his  start  in  life.  He  did  not 
want  to  be  a  servant  or  a  common  laborer,  and  his 
father  had  laid  up  no  money  toward  apprenticing  his 
youngest  son  to  some  master  mechanic.  In  fact,  Jacob 
Astor,  John  Jacob's  father,  had  no  wish  for  his  son  to 
follow  any  business  but  his  own,  which  was  that  of  a 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

butcher.  He  needed  the  boy,  especially  in  the  ap- 
proaching harvest,  and  it  was  not  his  way  to  make 
plans  far  ahead.  To  John  Jacob's  entreaties,  he  turned 
a  deaf  ear,  and  baffled  and  disappointed,  the  lad  felt 
himself  condemned  to  an  occupation  he  hated,  without 
present  remuneration,  or  future  hope. 

John  Jacob's  life  during  his  first  thirteen  years  had 
held  much  that  was  jarring  and  disappointing,  and 
only  a  very  scant  amount  of  the  usual  joys  of  boyhood. 
Jacob  Astor,  as  has  been  said,  was  a  butcher  by  trade, 
and  felt  it  to  be  a  business  that  any  man  might  em- 
brace with  content,  and  even  self-congratulation.  As 
it  was  carried  on  in  Waldorf,  it  contained  certain  emol- 
uments and  pleasurable  accompaniments  dear  to  the 
elder  Astor 's  jovial  soul.  That  which  it  lacked,  he  did 
not  concern  himself  about.  His  happy-go-lucky  dispo- 
sition did  not  trouble  itself  unduly  with  the  vicissi 
tudes  of  life.  Fresh  meat  was  considered  a  luxury  ID 
Waldorf  and  the  vicinity.  It  was  a  custom  for  every 
farmer  to  provide  a  fatted  pig  or  calf  for  the  harvest- 
ing. As  this  joyful  season  approached,  the  village 
butcher  traveled  about  the  neighborhood,  stopping  a 
day  or  two  at  each  farm  to  kill  the  waiting  stock,  and 
convert  the  meat  into  appetizing  sausages,  bacon,  and 
salted  beef.  A  reputation  for  ability  in  this  direction, 
made  the  butcher  a  welcome  guest  at  the  merry-mak- 


A  Pivotal  Day 


ings,  and  Jacob  Astor's  life,  through  the  six  weeks  of 
harvesting,  was  full  of  a  certain  type  of  homage,  and 
successive  weeks  of  conviviality. 

By  far  the  larger  part  of  the  year,  however,  followed 
the  harvest,  and  during  this  time  Jacob  Astor's  business 
dropped  to  its  lowest  ebb,  and  the  larder  at  home  cor- 
responded with  the  decline  in  trade.  These  seasons  of 
scarcity  were  relieved,  occasionally,  by  the  great 
church  days — Christmas,  Palm  Sunday,  Easter,  bap- 
tisms and  weddings, — or  when  a  birthday  overtook  t 
member  of  some  family,  prosperous  enough  to  make  a 
feast,  and  call  in  Jacob  Astor's  services.  John  Jacob 
had  accompanied  his  father  since  he  was  a  child,  on 
these  annual  tours  through  the  neighborhood,  but  did 
not  find  in  them  an  inspiring  life  work. 

Still,  childhood  under  the  most  adverse  conditions 
has  many  alleviations.  There  had  been  three  other 
boys  in  the  Astor  household,  George,  Henry,  and  John 
Melchior,  and  while  the  four  boys  were  home,  and  their 
mother  lived,  they  all  found  times  of  enjoyment,  and 
loyal  interest  in  their  native  home  and  surroundings. 

But  each  of  the  older  ones,  in  turn,  had  left  his  vil- 
lage homo  to  seek  his  fortune.  The  eldest  boy  was  the 
first  to  go.  He  had  made  his  way  to  London,  where  he 
had  an  uncle  engaged  in  the  business  of  making  musi- 
cal instruments,  under  the  firm  name  of  Astor  and 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

Broadhead.  Henry  Astor  went  next,  across  the  ocean 
to  the  "New  Land"  beyond  the  sea,  and  lastly  John 
Melchior  found  employment  in  Germany.  Only  little 
John  Jacob  was  left,  and  he,  as  well  as  the  older  three, 
had  inherited  his  mother's  industrious  and  economical 
ways,  and  longed  to  use  them  in  some  profitable  call- 
ing. 

That  the  mother  of  John  Jacob  was  possessed  of  a 
strong  character,  marked  capability,  and  sterling  vir- 
tues, was  amply  shown  in  the  starting  of  four  sons, 
in  the  midst  of  untoward  surroundings,  toward  success- 
ful and  honorable  manhood. 


Waldorf 

CHAPTER  II. 

THE  FOREST  VILLAGE  ON  THE  OLD  ROMAN 

ROAD. 

WALDORF  was  one  of  seven  " forest  villages/' 
bordering  an  old  military  road  of  the  Romans, 
which  led  from  Spires  to  Italy.    The  names  of 
the  seven  towns  through  which  the  old  road  passed,  sug- 
gested a  still  earlier  and  Celtic  origin.    In  638  only  a 
hunting  castle  stood  upon  the  site  of  Waldorf.  Later  a 
number  of  dwellings  were  erected  around  the  castle, 
and  in  750  a  church  was  built.    In  the  middle  ages  the 
little  town  had  been  surrounded  by  a  wall. 

John  Jacob  Astor  was  five  years  old  when  the  for- 
est villages  refused  their  share  of  the  labor  in  recon- 
structing the  Waldorf  toll-bridge,  claiming  that  the 
road  was  a  public  highway.  Surely  this  road  had 
earned  the  name  of  a  public  thoroughfare  Ihrough  suc- 
cessive centuries  of  service.  In  the  years  which  fol- 
lowed the  revolt  regarding  the  toll-bridge,  John  Jacob 
often  heard  the  ownership  of  the  road,  and  obligations 
concerning  familiar  objects,  discussed  in  this  land 
grown  hoary  with  age. 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

In  such  a  region  there  was  much  to  awaken  a  boy'q 
curiosity,  and  set  his  thoughts  to  speculating  on  those 
who  had  lived  here  before  him.  It  is  easy  to  imagine 
that  the  time-honored  names,  which  the  boy  found  al- 
ready attached  to  various  places  in  and  about  the  little 
town,  had  been  the  gathering  places  of  generations  of 
children;  and  that  he,  in  turn,  found  that  "the  boys' 
path"  led  woodward  way,  that  the  "row  of  trees", 
the  "middle  stone",  the  "fire-hedge",  and  the  "thorn 
hedge,"  referred  to  places  he  would  like  to  know,  and 
that  "behind  the  castle,"  and  "the  gypsy  place"  still 
held  mysterious  charms  for  the  children  of  Waldorf, 
as  they  had  for  the  children  before  them.  What  boy 
does  not  know  all  the  paths  that  lead  to  the  interesting 
objects  in  his  neighborhood? 

The  town  had  many  acres  of  forest,  tall  beech  and 
oak  trees,  hiring  the  young  people  to  their  cool  depths 
on  half  h  oil  days.  Among  the  trees  was  one  that  had  a 
story  of  its  own.  It  was  called  the  Carl-Louis  beech, 
since  the  Elector  Carl-Louis,  on  a  hunting  trip,  had 
once  taken  two  young  beeches,  a  black  and  a  white,  and 
twisted  them  together,  till  they  had  grown  like  one  tree, 
and  only  showed  a  small  opening  near  the  ground. 

There  were  other  matters  of  mystery  further  in  the 
wood.  Old  walls,  places  where  the  walls  were  caved 
in.  subterranean  passages,  well-pipes,  remnants  of 


8 


The  Forest  Village 


earthern  jars  with  the  name  of  the  maker,  "Victorin- 
us,"  upon  them,  and  Roman  coins  of  different  sizes, 
all  dated  far  back,  some  of  them  to  the  time  of  the 
Emperors. 

John  Jacob  and  his  brothers  had  delighted  in  the 
discovery  of  these  relics  of  armies  that  had  passed  that 
way,  and  earlier  peoples,  who  had  inhabited  their  laud, 
as  an  American  boy  does  to-day  in  the  stone  arrow 
heads  of  our  own  Indians.  But  over  the  three  mounds 
in  the  town  forest  the  most  speculation  ran  rife.  Were 
they  old  burial  places!  When  did  the  people  begin  to 
call  them  "the  three  little  hills!"  To  be  sure  there 
were  more  than  three  mounds,  but  there  were  three  that 
rose  high  above  the  remainder  of  the  fourteen  hills, 
and  between  them  all  ran  the  forest  road. 

These  mounds  gave  favorable  limits  for  a  race,  ele- 
vations from  which  to  spy  out  a  boy  hiding  from  his 
comrades  in  the  forest,  opportunities  for  an  embryo 
orator  to  address  his  audience,  or  a  would-be  general  to 
order  the  march  of  his  men  down  the  very  road  the 
Romans  had  trod  in  the  centuries  past.  In  fact,  thrs- 
mounds,  with  their  crowns  of  trees,  were  among 
Waldorf's  glories,  and  a  gathering  place  for  her  boy- 
ish population,  until  the  sun  sank  low  and  the  shadows 
lengthened,  and  some  lad  with  a  more  imaginative  tem- 
perament than  the  rest,  grew  fluent  in  regard  to  tho 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

old  warriors  probably  lying  under  their  feet,  when  the 
groups  would  scatter,  and  the  mounds  be  left  in  soli- 
tude, their  silent  curves  forming  dark  landmarks  under 
the  stars. 

John  Jacob  had  left  his  cold  shivers  over  these  "lit- 
tle hills"  years  behind  him,  and  leagues  away,  when  it 
was  really  proven  that  beneath  the  hard-beaten  sand  of 
one  hill,  a  dense,  hard,  yellow  clay  formed  a  tomb,  with- 
in which  a  woman's  skeleton  had  lain  for  centuries. 
Two  jewels  were  found  upon  her  breast,  and  her  hands 
and  arms  were  stretched  straight  down  at  her  sides.  A 
larger  mound  contained  a  more  capacious  grave — that 
of  a  warrior.  A  single-bladed  knife  lay  diagonally 
across  his  body,  one  arm  bent  toward  it, — so  keeping  in 
touch  with  his  trusty  weapon,  even  in  death.  Two  met- 
al buttons,  adorned  with  rosettes  of  some  white  sub- 
stance resembling  gypsum,  lay  near  his  feet,  evidently 
having  ornamented,  or  held  together  some  foot  cover- 
ing. At  the  belt  and  shoulder  were  other  metal  decora- 
tions, and  a  gold  ear-ring  near  his  left  ear. 

Some  fragments  of  vessels  of  a  very  primitive  make, 
unglazed,  with  black  and  red  stripes  on  the  outside,  lay 
scattered  about  the  grave.  A  large  bone  of  some  ani- 
mal, probably  placed  there  as  a  "dead  man's  meal" 
lay  between  his  legs.  Under  the  skeleton  of  this  mighty 
man  of  long  ago,  had  been  placed  various  bones  of 

10 


The  Forest  Village 


larger  and  smaller  animals,  all  of  which  had  passed 
through  the  consecrating  fire  of  sacrifice,  before  the  dis- 
tinguished person  had  been  laid  to  rest  upon  them. 
Could  the  boys  who  played  on  the  mounds  in  John  Ja- 
cob's time,  have  known  of  the  discoveries  to  be  made 
under  their  feet,  it  is  probable  many  a  boyish  hand 
would  have  made  the  earliest  excavations. 

The  Astor  boys  looked  forward  eagerly  to  the  annual 
street  fairs  of  Waldorf,  which  emptied  the  houses  of 
the  little  town  while  they  lasted,  and  turned  both  oH 
and  young  into  the  open  air.  At  these  times  the  nar- 
row streets,  paved  with  stone  from  house  to  house,  wpre 
almost  impassable.  Everything  was  offered  for  sale 
from  cheap  gewgaws  to  family  Bibles.  Waldorf,  with 
its  windows  filled  with  flowering  plants,  and  its  Ion 2, 
sloping,  red-tiled  roofs,  with  tiny  windows  reaching  to 
the  peaks,  made  a  picturesque  background  for  these 
festive  yearly  sales.  The  events  of  the  street  fairs,  and 
the  purchases  made  then,  were  talked  over  for  many 
a  day  afterward,  certain  articles  of  utility  and  orna- 
ment in  the  homes  always  dating  back  to  some  one  of 
these  annual  celebrations. 

Some  of  the  family  Bibles  bought  at  street  fairs  in. 
Germany  reached  America.  Descendants  of  the  Con- 
rad family  of  Philadelphia  have  in  their  possession  a 
rare  old  family  Bible  bought  at  a  Frankfort  street  fair, 


11 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

a  translation  of  Martin  Luther's,  handsomely  illumin- 
ated and  illustrated.  The  book  gives  not  only  a  record 
of  the  early  ancestors  of  the  family,  but  also  the  name 
of  the  vessel  in  which  they  sailed  to  America,  and  of  the 
Captain  and  crew.  The  account  of  the  passage  includes 
the  hymns  sung,  and  prayers  offered  on  the  voyage. 

John  Jacob  sometimes  carried  grain  to  the  old  Thorn 
Mill  with  its  four  water  wheels.  Hovering  around  the 
mill,  and  watching  the  water  dash  over  the  wheels,  paid 
for  a  hot  walk  with  a  heavy  bag  upon  one's  shoulder. 
It  had  been  an  ancient  law  that  the  town  of  Waldorf 
was  to  furnish  a  scale  and  provide  a  box  alongside  of 
the  mill.  In  this  box  the  miller  was  to  keep  a  constant 
supply  of  flour.  When  the  boy  took  grain  to  be  ground 
he  placed  it  on  the  scale,  but  he  did  not  return  with  it 
the  same  day.  According  to  the  rule  of  the  mill,  he 
was  to  make  a  second  trip  for  his  flour  on  the  third 
day  after,  finding  it  in  the  same  place. 

If  the  town  failed  to  keep  a  scale,  then  the  mil  lei- 
was  to  ride  from  door  to  door,  while  the  grain  was 
loaded  on  his  wagon,  and  he  in  turn,  was  expected  to 
n-turn  it  ground  to  its  owner  on  the  third  day  after. 

There  were  acres  of  vineyards,  meadows,  fields  and 
Band-pits,  flower-gardens  and  vegetable  gardens,  in 
Waldorf;  and,  forestalling  the  day  when  the  waste 
lands  should  be  watered  by  irrigation,  Waldorf's 


12 


The  Forest  Village 


chronicler    mentions    among   its    blessings,    "  seventeen 
acres  of  brooks  and  ditches". 

John  Jacob  was  accustomed  to  the  holding  of  large 
estates  by  his  neighbors.  One  manner  of  dividing 
these  great  farm  holdings  was  by  "marking  stones," 
which  occasionally  bore  the  armorial  design  of  the  fam- 
ily who  owned  the  estate.  One  of  John  Jacob  Astor's 
own  name,  Felix  Astor,  is  noted  as  leasing  an  estate  for 
hunting  purposes;  while  in  1741,  "Mr.  Astor,  landlord 
of  the  Lion  Inn"  bought  a  "small  lordly  Manor," 
which  formerly  belonged  to  the  vintage  of  Wersau. 

Records  of  the  Astor  family  give  evidence  that  John 
Jacob  Astor's  ancestors  were  French  Huguenots,  driv 
en  like  many  of  their  kind,  upon  the  revocation  of  the 
Edict  of  Nantes,  to  find  refuge  in  Germany.  In  the 
family  history  still  further  back,  there  had  been  brave 
Knights,  who  risked  all,  even  life  itself,  in  fighting 
..L'ainst  superior  forces  for  a  cherished  ideal. 

The  residence  of  the  Astor  family  in  Germany  had 
begun  three  generations  before  the  boy's  time,  and  John 
Jacob's  small  world  was  filled  with  the  traditions, 
events,  and  diversions  of  the  "seven  forest  villages," 
which  also  afforded  him  his  outlook  on  life. 


13 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE    VILLAGE    SCHOOL    AND    THE    OLD 
CHURCH  BELLS. 

THE  Rev.  Johann  Stumpf,  who  was  the  minister  in 
charge    of    the    Roman     Catholic     Church    in 
Waldorf  about  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  cen- 
tury, was  so  impressed  with  the  healthful  climate,  and 
material  advantages  of  the  town,  that  he  put  himself  on 
record  in  a  number  of  Latin  verses,  whose  translation 
gives  us  some  insight  into  the  advantages  John  Jacob 
Astor  gained  by  spending  his  boyhood  days  in  Baden. 

"Walldorf,  a  market  place  of  the  Palatinate, 
A  beautiful  and  nourishing  place — may  God  preserve 

Walldorf, 
An  incomparable  place,  because  no  word  rhymes  with 

Walldorf. 

If  the  people  of  Waldorf f  are  called  "Maerker", 
(Those  who  derive  benefits  from  a  common  wood-lot) 
The  people  of  Walldorf  are  thereby  only  lauded  and 

praised. 

They  listen  to  God  and  His  word, 
And  this  is  something  that  pleases  God; 

14 


The  Village  School  and  Bells 

Everybody   wants   to  live   at    the  place    having    five 

"W's," 

And  Walldorf  is  well-favored  by  God  for  this, 

For  it  has  all  the  five  "W's"  together— 

(Walt,  Waiz,  Wein,  Wasser,  Weid) 

Woods,  wheat,  wine,  water,  and  hunting  grounds. 

The  people  of  Walldorf  are  happy  people; 

God  be  praised,  Walldorf  has  many  gifts ; 

May  God  keep  Walldorf  in  his  grace, 

Through  the  merits  of  St.  Peter,  the  patron-saint, 

As  written,  2.  Peter  1:15." 

The  poet  added  to  his  verses  the  following  explana- 
tion: 

"Johann  Stumpf  was  pastor  in  Walldorf  for  twenty- 
five  years,  and  in  honor  of  Walldorf,  and  out  of  love 
for  it,  he  has  written  the  above  verses  in  the  famous 
year  of  war  and  death  1734." 

The  seal  of  the  town  of  Waldorf  honored  the  oak 
tree,  and  further  Latin  verses  dwelt  upon  this  fact,  in- 
cluding a  touch  of  history.    In  translation  they  read : 
"  'What  does  the  vow  under  the  oak  tree  signify'!  I 

ask  the  seal. 

The  oak  signifies  the  strength  of  the  vow. 
Truly,  he  is  a  healthy  person,  who  is  as  healthy  as  the 

oak  tree ; 
There  is  scarcely  a  place  as  healthy  as  Walldorf. 


15 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

The  air  is  agreeable  to  every  gentleman,     no     matter 

what  the  condition  of  his  body  is. 
It  is  said  that  oaks  attain  an  age  of  five  hundred  y^ars, 
Walldorf  existed  long  before  the  city  of  Heidelberg. 
The  age  of  Walldorf  has  been,  and  is,  and  will  be  like 

that  of  the  oak; 
O,  that  the  days  of  my  life  were  so  deeply  rooted,  and 

of  such  long  duration ! 
See  the  archives  of  the  church! 
See  the  court-records!" 

The  Rev.  Johann  Stumpf  's  satisfaction  with  his  par- 
ish has  given  us  a  vivid  picture  of  the  superiority  of 
John  Jacob  Astor 's  native  town. 

The  school  which  John  Jacob  attended  through  hi& 
childhood,  was  founded  by  the  Church,  and  was  served 
alternately  by  Roman  Catholic,  Reformed,  and  Luth- 
eran school  teachers,  according  as  each  party  was  dom 
inant  in  the  state  for  the  time.  The  boy  was  most 
fortunate  in  having  Valentine  Jeune,  one  of  the  beat 
of  the  pedagogues  of  that  day,  fall  to  his  lot.  The 
teacher  of  the  village  school  was  a  French  Protestant , 
like  John  Jacob's  own  ancestors.  He  had  fled  from 
his  country  during  the  reign  of  Louis  XIV.  Valentine 
Jeune  was  a  progressive  and  sympathetic  teacher,  and 
bestowed  a  generous  amount  of  personal  attention  up- 
on his  scholars.  Together  with  the  Rev.  John  Philip 


16 


The  Village  School  and  Bells 

Steiner,  the  Protestant  minister  of  Waldorf,  he  suc- 
ceeded in  indelibly  planting  the  doctrines  of  the  Ref- 
ormation in  the  minds  of  his  pupils,  which  principle* 
swayed  John  Jacob  Astor's  life  to  its  close. 

The  school  was  supported  by  the  town,  but  every 
child  added  his  mite,  as  he  came  each  day  laden  with 
two  sticks  of  wood. 

One  of  the  objects  that  attracted  John  Jacob's  atten- 
tion on  the  way  to  school,  was  the  old  bell-tower  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  Church.  The  lad's  interest  in  the  belli 
of  his  town  was  equal  to  that  of  all  his  kind.  What 
boy  does  not  climb  a  bell-tower  before  he  has  reached 
manhood?  Who  among  them  does  not  long  to  feel  his 
hand  on  the  bell-rope,  and  be  responsible  in  his  own 
strength  and  muscle,  for  the  peals  which  ring  out  over 
the  house-tops  and  die  away  in  the  valleys? 

John  Jacob's  attachment  to  the  belli  of  Waldorf  was 
intensified  by  the  stories  of  the  old  men  of  the  village, 
who  made  their  clanging  music  the  key-note  of  many  a 
tale  of  the  past.  There  were  three  bells  in  the  old 
Roman  Catholic  Church  tower  when  John  Jacob  was 
a  boy.  The  heathen  tribes  had  rung  these  same  three 
bells,  when  they  lived  in  this  vicinity,  before  the 
Christian  religion  was  introduced.  The  sweet  sounds 
had  floated  over  hills,  and  wound  their  way  through 
grassy  dells  in  honor  of  some  pagan  goddess,  till  they 

17 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

reached  the  groves  and  forests,  the  heaths  and  moun- 
tains where  the  early  Germans  loved  to  worship.  It 
was  easy  to  pass  from  the  tales  of  the  bells  to  the  won- 
ders of  the  mythical  past,  and  the  boys  half  believed 
still  in  the  elves  and  nixies,  dwarfs  and  giants,  which 
had  pervaded  the  earth  and  air  and  water  in  the  old 
heathen  days. 

These  bells  had  rung  out  paeans  of  rejoicing  over 
the  early  Christian  Gospel,  and  pealed  for  Roman 
Catholic  dominion.  Nearer  to  John  Jacob's  own  time 
they  had  sounded  brave  notes  for  the  Reformation. 

The  three  bells  had  not  always  kept  each  other  com- 
pany, though  one  might  have  thought  them  welded  to- 
gether by  centuries  of  united  action.  During  the  thirty 
years'  war,  the  two  larger  bells  were  taken  to  Philipps- 
burg  by  the  enemy,  and  held  in  the  arsenal  there,  to  the 
grief  of  the  villagers.  During  the  war  only  the  small 
bell  was  left  in  the  tower  to  call  the  people  to  worship, 
or  ring  out  the  scant  causes  of  rejoicing  during  these 
troublous  years. 

The  time  came,  however,  when  the  captive  bells  were 
redeemed  for  one  hundred  florins,  and  brought  back  to 
Waldorf.  Alas!  the  bell-tower  had  been  struck  by 
lightning  and  burned,  while  bereft  of  its  music,  so  for 
many  years  the  bells  stood  silent  in  the  church,  while  a 
generation  grew  up  who  had  never  heard  their  sweet 

18 


The  Village  School  and  Bells 

chimes,  and  looked  upon  their  silent  forms  as  relics  of 
the  past,  whose  mission  had  been  accomplished. 

But  with  the  return  of  peace,  a  sense  of  safety,  of 
recurring  crops  unspoiled  by  an  alien  army,  and  of 
dawning  prosperity,  turned  the  villagers*  thoughts  to- 
ward homely  joys  once  more.  They  would  rebuild  th* 
old  tower  and  hang  the  bells  in  their  places.  As  in 
days  gone  by,  they  should  be  the  key-note  of  the  town's 
rejoicing. 

So  it  came  about  that  John  Jacob  Astor  was  more 
fortunate  than  the  children  of  the  thirty  years'  war. 
or  of  the  years  immediately  succeeding  it.  He  grew 
up  with  the  chimes  of  the  old  bells  in  his  ears.  He  had 
heard  them  peal  in  times  of  rejoicing,  and  listened  to 
them  toll  in  times  of  grief.  They  were  alive  to  him,  as 
to  every  other  boy  in  the  village,  with  love  of  home  and 
native  land,  with  the  sweep  of  enthusiasm,  or  the  wail 
of  woe.  Their  musical  notes  pulsed  through  his  heart, 
and  found  there  answering  echoes. 

Waldorf  was  rich  in  history,  pleasant  in  situation, 
healthful,  and  full  of  matters  of  interest  to  a  boy,  yet 
John  Jacob  Astor  longed  to  leave  it  for  a  broader  lifr, 
a  wider  horizon. 


19 


CHAPTER  IV. 
WAITING  YEARS. 

THE  two  years  succeeding  his  fourteenth  birth- 
day were  somber  cycles  of  time  for  young  As- 
tor.  It  was  a  time  when  his  thoughts  ran  riot, 
aims  and  aspirations  and  longings  overtaking  each 
other,  and  stretching  out  longing  arms  into  the  future. 
Life  seemed  full  of  boundless  possibilities,  always  just 
beyond  his  reach.  These  visions  haunted  him  night  and 
day,  tormenting  him  in  proportion  to  his  inability  to 
take  one  step  forward,  or  cherish  one  tangible  hope.  H^ 
felt  like  a  prisoner  in  his  own  town,  a  captive  in  his 
own  home. 

The  life  of  the  village  ceased  to  interest  him.  Where 
once  he  had  felt  loyal  pride  in  her  institutions,  now  all 
seemed  flat  and  tasteless.  Nor  was  this  state  of  mind 
produced  entirely  by  disappointed  ambition.  The  boy 
had  much  natural  cause  for  depression.  Within  a  few 
years  his  mother  had  died,  and  his  father  had  married 
again.  As  an  old  chronicler  puts  it,  the  new  wi?e 
"loved  not  Jacob  or  John  Jacob." 

The  wife  and  mother  in  this  hap-hazard  household 
had  been  its  mainspring  and  inspiration.  From  bw 

20 


Waiting  Years 


mother  John  Jacob  had  received  most  that  made  his 
life  worth  living.  Her  provident,  industrious  ways  had 
caused  their  little  to  go  as  far  as  possible,  and  had  sur- 
rounded her  youngest  son  with  a  sense  of  warm- 
hearted affection,  which  created  a  home  atmosphere, 
and  in  some  measure  made  up  to  him  for  the  scantily 
furnished  larder. 

There  had  been  little  ones  added  to  the  family  in 
these  later  years,  but  there  was  no  increase  in  the  ex- 
chequer. So  unhappy  was  life  in  his  own  home,  that 
rather  than  sleep  in  his  own  bed,  young  Astor  often 
spent  the  night  with  a  friend,  preferring  to  rise  before 
daylight,  in  order  to  appear  at  his  own  door,  ready  to 
assist  his  father  at  the  accustomed  hour. 

During  these  years  he  formed  the  habit  of  absenting 
himself  from  the  social  gatherings  of  friends,  and  in 
his  hours  of  leisure  went  away  to  brood  by  himself. 
There  were  doubtless  many  reasons  why  it  was  not 
easy  for  him  to  join  in  the  village  festivities,  and  pos 
sibly  in  these  seasons  of  loneliness,  his  thoughts  fle-I 
across  the  seas,  anil  for  a  time  he  forgot  the  adverse 
conditions  about  him. 

Letters  were  not  frequent  in  those  days,  but  when 
they  came,  they  bore  momentous  news — family  stories 
covering  long  periods,  tales  of  thrilling  adventure,  and 
accounts  of  how  the  world  was  making  history.  John 


21 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

Jacob  boasted  in  after  years,  that  he  had  once  walked 
forty-five  miles  to  get  a  letter  that  had  come  from  a 
brother  in  England  or  America.  It  was  thought  that 
the  news  of  Burgoyne's  surrender  lighted  a  spark  in 
the  boy's  mind,  that  burned  secretly  brighter  and 
brighter,  till  he  at  last  left  his  German  home. 

A  spark  of  hope  from  any  favorable  source  was  in- 
valuable to  him  just  at  this  time,  for  there  were  still 
two  long  years  before  him,  full  of  patient  effort  to  as- 
sist his  father  in  the  business  he  so  disliked,  and  also 
to  fulfill  home  duties  in  such  a  way  as  to  conciliate  his 
step-mother.  One  of  these  home  duties  was  the  care 
of  the  little  sisters  who  had  come  with  baby  gladness 
into  this  depressing  home. 

Though  all  beside  failed  the  boy,  though  there  was 
no  one  at  this  important  period  of  his  life  whose 
thought  was  bent  either  on  his  happiness  or  advance- 
ment, the  baby  sisters  were  like  stars  of  promise  of 
good  things  to  come.  The  warm,  affectionate  nature  of 
the  lonely  lad  went  out  to  his  little  charges,  and  the 
feeling  of  a  soft  baby  hand  in  his  hardened  boyish 
palm,  struck  straight  to  his  heart,  melting  the  bitter 
feelings  which  his  environment  engendered.  He  could 
always  be  trusted  to  care  for  the  children. 

It  has  been  seen  that  occasional  letters  came  to  the 
Astor  family  from  England  and  America.  There  was 


22 


THE  OLD  REFORMED  CHURCH  AT  WALDORF 


A    WALDORF    HOUSE 

WITH  ITS  HIGH  PEAKED  ROOF 

Photographs  Taken  by  the  Rev.  John  G.  Gebhard,  D.  D. 


Waiting  Years 


also  another  source  of  information  regarding  the  "New 
Land,"  which  kept  its  memory  bright  in  John  Jacob's 
heart. 

The  year  the  boy  was  born,  July  17th,  1763,  the  Rev. 
John  Frederick  Gebhard,  the  old  pastor  of  the  Re- 
formed Church  of  Waldorf,  died,  and  the  Rev.  Philip 
Steiner  succeeded  him.  The  old  pastor  had  baptised 
the  three  older  Astor  boys,  and  for  years  counted  th^ 
Astor  family  among  his  parishioners.  After  his  death, 
his  widow  stayed  on  at  Waldorf  for  some  years,  with 
her  children.  Her  eldest  son,  John  Gabriel  Gebhard, 
was  thirteen  years  John  Jacob  Astor 's  senior,  so  when 
he  left  Waldorf  for  a  college  course  in  Heidelberg 
University,  John  Jacob  was  but  a  little  fellow  of  five 
years  old. 

Heidelberg  was  only  about  eight  miles  from  Wal- 
dorf, and  John  Gebhard  came  and  went  to  and  from 
his  mother's  home,  on  holidays  and  at  other  convenient 
times.  A  college  student  always  brings  a  touch  of  the 
college  life  back  with  him  to  his  home  town,  and  Hei- 
delberg was  rich  in  interest  over  and  above  the  usual 
university  student's  stories. 

Young  as  he  was,  John  Jacob's  eyes  would  open  wide 
at  the  tale  of  the  great  tun  in  the  cellar  of  the  Schloss, 
on  which  the  students  were  wont  to  climb.  A  barrel 
thirty-six  feet  long,  and  twenty -four  feet  high  would 


23 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

hold  many  a  student  upon  its  curved  outer  surface,  as 
well  as  forty-nine  thousand  gallons  within.  It  had 
only  been  built  about  a  dozen  years  when  John  Jacot 
was  born,  so  it  was  still  a  great  and  recent  wonder  to 
the  young  people  of  that  day. 

A  Waldorf  boy  would  glory  in  the  magnificence  of 
Heidelberg  Castle,  rather  than  listen  to  tales  of  imagi- 
nary grandeur.  It  had  been  struck  by  lightning  when 
John  Jacob  was  a  baby,  and  by  this  time  had  become 
one  of  the  grandest  ruins  in  Germany. 

After  his  course  at  Heidelberg,  young  Gebhard 
studied  theology  for  a  season  in  the  University  of 
Utrecht,  and  there  he  met  John  Henry  Livingston,  from 
America,  a  most  able  young  man,  and  an  earnest  stu- 
dent. Naturally,  word  of  the  young  American  theo- 
logian of  good  family  reached  Waldorf,  and  the  trip 
across  the  ocean  seemed  the  more  possible,  because  the 
ocean  was  being  crossed  both  ways. 

When  elohn  Jacob  was  eight  years  old,  their  old  pas- 
tor's son  set  sail  for  America.  His  mother  was  almost 
heart-broken,  yet  laid  no  hand  upon  him  to  detain  him, 
giving  her  best  to  the  service  of  God.  The  heart  of  his 
father's  old  congregation  was  with  the  young  minister 
in  his  momentous  undertaking,  and  equally  with  the 
mother  in  this  great  separation.  John  Jacob  was  not 


24 


Waiting  Years 


likely  to  forget  that  day,  or  the  wave  of  sympathy  that 
swept  the  village. 

The  going  of  the  Eev.  John  Gabriel  Gebhard  to 
America  was  the  more  note-worthy,  since  he  went  in 
company  with  two  other  young  men,  John  Helffrich 
and  John  Helffenstein,  half-brothers,  who  had  also 
been  students  of  the  University  of  Heidelberg. 

The  three  Johns  were  going  to  preach  the  Gospel  in 
the  "New  Land,"  not  a  foreign  land  in  the  usual  Ian 
guage  of  missions,  but  to  carry  the  good  tidings  of  sa'- 
vation  from  the  birthland  of  the  Reformation  to  the 
"New  Land,"  whose  population  was  growing  rapidly, 
but  whose  clergymen  were  few.  They  all  signed  them- 
selves, as  was  common  at  that  period,  "V.  D.  M. "  Min 
isters,  or  Servants  of  the  Word  of  God. 

John  Helffrich  kept  a  journal  of  the  voyage,  whose 
main  points  doubtless  were  retold  to  the  Helffrich  and 
Gebhard  homes,  and  were  shared  by  friends  in  the  na- 
tive towns  of  all  three  young  men. 


25 


CHAPTER  V. 
JOHN    HELFFRICH'S    JOURNAL. 

THE   type  of   information   that  came  back   to  the 
waiting  youths  in  the  old  world,  who  longed  to 
make  the  great  venture  and  cross  the  seas,  is  to 
be  found  in  John  Helff rich's  journal. 

The  three  young  ministers  set  sail  from  Amsterdam 
on  September  6th,  1771,  "at  nine  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing," as  Helff  rich  accurately  states.  At  twelve  the 
same  day  they  stuck  fast  on  a  bar,  and  needed  a  ship 
of  lighter  tonnage  to  tow  them  off.  The  second  day 
they  ran  into  so  severe  a  storm  that  all  fires  were  put 
out,  and  the  Captain's  baby  was  fed  upon  soup  cooked 
over  a  lighted  tallow  candle.  Their  initial  troubles  were 
not  yet  over,  for  they  collided  with  a  ship,  which  struck 
them  "once  real  hard  before  they  had  left  the  danger- 
ous Zuyder  Zee." 

A  touch  of  humor  ensues  as  the  young  Domine  sets 
down:  "Sept.  16th.  Arrived  at  the  harbor  of  New 
Castle.  Sept.  17th.  We  went  on  shore  with  the  'Cha 
laise.'  Here  we  were  constantly  followed  by  a  crowd 
of  people.  They  kissed  the  baby.  We  were  expected  to 
kiss  theirs." 

26 


John   Helffrich's   Journal 


Almost  every  other  entry  tells  of  wind  and  storm, 
violent  rocking  of  the  ship,  no  sleep  and  a  second  colli- 
sion. On  Sunday,  the  6th  of  October,  "in  company 
with  a  large  number  of  ships"  they  "sailed  with  the 
tide  out  of  the  harbor  into  the  North  Sea."  So  terri- 
ble was  the  storm,  young  Helffrich  states,  "that  the 
sails  were  furled,  the  top  masts  were  taken  down,  the 
helm  was  lashed  and  the  ship  was  given  over  to  the 
mercy  of  the  wind  and  waves.  The  waves  came  rolling 
mountain  high;  soon  we  were  in  the  heights;  soon  in 
the  depths;  soon  on  one  side;  soon  on  the  other,  the 
waves  beating  into  the  cabin."  Many  chickens  and 
ducks  were  lost,  and  the  passengers  felt  it  was  fortunate 
that  their  ship  was  a  strong  one. 

"It  was  terrible  to  hear  the  roaring  of  the  wind  and 
the  waves.  When  the  waves  struck  the  vessel,  they 
sounded  like  the  thunder  and  roar  of  cannons,  and  we 
committed  ourselves"  altogether  to  the  Divine  Provi- 
dence." 

The  distance  they  should  have  covered  in  three  days 
had  taken  fourteen,  but  at  last  on  the  morning  of  Oc- 
tober 21st  they  sighted  France  and  England,  and  en- 
tered the  English  Channel  without  further  mishap. 
Here  they  discovered  that  more  than  one  hundred 
ships  had  been  wrecked  during  the  recent  storms. 

For  a  time  there  were  quieter  days,  then  on  Novem- 


27 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

ber  9th,  once  more  they  were  in  the  teeth  of  a  gale,  the 
passengers  in  the  haste  and  danger  helping  to  furl  the 
sails.  Twice  they  were  struck  by  whirlwinds,  breaking 
the  cabin  windows,  drenching  Mr.  Gebhard,  and  caus 
ing  his  companions  to  betake  themselves  quickly  to  the 
tops  of  chests  and  trunks. 

Their  fears  were  increased  by  the  Captain's  orders 
to  load  their  guns.  The  only  guns  available  at  the  mo- 
ment were  two,  a  double-barrel  and  a  single-barrel,  the 
possessions  of  Dr.  Doll,  a  cousin  of  Mr.  Helff rich's. 
The  danger  proved  to  be  from  "a  water-spout  tower- 
ing up  to  the  sky,"  endangering  their  vessel  should  it 
descend  upon  them.  The  method  of  dispersing  these 
water-spouts  was  by  separating  the  air  by  shooting  off 
guns.  The  young  theologian  was  not  content  with  the 
German  name  alone,  but  gave  in  this  instance,  and  va- 
rious other  cases,  the  Latin  for  the  phenomena  seen. 

A  diversion  was  caused  a  few  days  later  by  the  Cap- 
tain, pilot,  cabin  boy  and  three  sailors  diving  into  the 
ocean  and  taking  a  swim,  evidently  doing  some  spe- 
cial stunts  for  the  benefit  of  the  passengers,  as  they 
"swam  on  back,  and  side,  and  stomach,  stood  up  in  the 
water,  and  even  turned  somersaults.'' 

On  the  West  Sea  (the  Atlantic)  they  encountered 
another  great  storm,  and  "the  cook  was  swept  away 
from  his  fire-place  and  almost  washed  overboard." 

28 


John   Helffrich's  Journal 


They  had  now  been  on  the  ocean  more  than  two 
months  and  food  was  getting  scarce.  Their  last  pig  but 
one  was  killed  on  the  27th  of  November.  For  eight 
days  they  had  had  no  veal,  only  bacon  and  pease.  All 
the  flour  they  had  tried  to  save  was  spoiled  by  the 
rats,  and  John  Helffrich  exclaims,  "What  shall  b^- 
come  of  us !  But  God  will  help. ' ' 

A  passenger  and  a  sailor  were  let  down  the  ship's 
side  for  a  swim,  but  did  not  go  far,  for  they  found 
themselves  near  a  school  of  man-eating  fishes. 

They  had  a  little  skirmish  with  a  French  ship,  whose 
Captain  called  upon  them  to  run  up  their  flag,  and 
threatened  them  with  his  loaded  cannon.  The  Captain 
of  the  German  ship  assured  his  passengers,  had  the 
French  Captain  fired,  "he  would  have  taken  his  wind 
from  him,  grappled  with  his  ship  and  settled  the  mat- 
ter in  a  hand-to-hand  fight."  But  the  French  vessel, 
fortunately,  went  on  its  way,  with  nothing  worse  in 
the  way  of  hostile  demonstration  than  threats. 

Twice  ghostly  signs  were  heard  and  seen.  "Once  at 
evening,  while  the  sails  wvre  being  turned,  the  Captain, 
the  pilot,  and  a  German  sailor  heard,  on  the  middle 
mast  under  which  they  stood,  a  mournful  voice,  as 
though  a  dying  person  repeated  the  words,  '0,  yes,' 
three  times,  the  last  very  weakly."  On  another  night 
a  sailor  saw  a  woman  clad  in  white  on  the  fore-deck. 


29 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

December  brought  more  storms.  "Part  of  the  fore- 
mast was  broken,  and  much  cordage  was  torn."  The 
center  of  the  middle -mast  was  cracked,  and  the  ship's 
"cut- water"  (prow)  was  broken.  The  food  was  also 
growing  less  and  less  palatable. 

A  pleasant  event  a  week  later,  was  the  catching  of 
their  first  fish  on  a  hook,  a  dolphin  weighing  forty  or 
fifty  pounds.  The  "  half  -starved  ship's  load"  found  the 
food  most  appetizing.  In  the  stomach  of  the  dolphin 
was  a  flying  fish.  A  young  whale  also  sported  about 
the  ship,  whose  length  was  about  forty  feet.  He  was 
gray  above  and  green  underneath.  Later,  they  ran 
into  a  great  school  of  man-eating  fishes,  as  far  as  eye 
could  reach. 

Christmas  day  was  unhappily  emphasized  by  in- 
creased hunger  ard  thirst.  On  that  day  they  began  to 
divide  the  water,  two  and  one-half  cups  apiece.  Out  of 
this  portion  each  person  was  expected  to  give  a  part 
for  his  tea  and  soup.  Added  to  this  was  a 
small  glass  of  wine.  Their  thirst,  increased  by  the 
salt  and  putrid  meat,  of  which  they  were  scarce- 
ly allowed  enough  to  keep  soul  and  body  together,  was 
almost  unendurable.  A  few  pease  were  left  which  they 
had  twice  a  week.  A  common  variety  of  food  was  a 
soup  made  of  chopped  cold  meat,  biscuit  and  water. 

They  were  really  suffering  by  this  time,  and  still 


30 


John   Helffrich's  Journal 


ten  days  from  New  York  if  all  went  well.  Soon  after 
this  they  hailed  a  ship  from  Boston,  bound  for  the 
south  on  a  whaling  expedition,  and  their  Captain  found 
he  had  only  missed  his  bearings  by  a  few  miles  all 
through  the  voyage. 

Passing  another  water-spoui  on  January  31st,  th^y 
"prayed  devoutly  that  God  might  keep  it  from  them." 
Young  Helffrich  sets  down  on  this  last  night  of  the 
old  year:  "To-night  at  seven  o'clock,  twelve  o'clock  at 
home,  we  wished  the  friends  a  "Happy  New  Year!" 
During  the  first  week  of  the  new  year  they  encoun- 
tered a  fierce  storm,  and  "the  waves  frequently  swept 
the  fore-deck."  A  final  disaster  was  the  washing  over- 
board of  the  last  pig.  The  storm  tore  the  top-sail,  but, 
by  good  fortune,  drove  them  toward  land. 

The  last  three  entries  after  their  long,  stormy  voy- 
age, are  briefly  full  of  the  happiness  of  successful  con- 
summation. 

"Jan.  13th.  This  morning  we  saw  the  shores  of  New 
Jersey.  At  eight  o'clock  this  evening  we  saw  the  light 
of  a  tower  on  the  shore.  It  is  lighted  every  evening  to 
guide  the  ships.  We  ran  hard  by  a  sand-bank  at  twelve 
o'clock  this  night,  and  to  our  great  joy,  cast  our  anchor 
in  the  harbor." 

"Jan.  14th.  In  the  morning  at  eight  o'clock  we  en- 
tered the  harbor,  and  at  two  o'clock  we  were  on  the 
land  in  America." 

The  following  sentence  closes  this  brief  but  vivid  ac- 
count of  a  long  and  hazardous  sea  voyage. 

31 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

"Thou,  God,  hast  helped  us  through  the  storm  and 

tempest. 
Help  us  also  in  that  which  we  here  propose  to  do." 

The  substance  of  such  a  diary,  sent  home  to  Wal- 
dorf in  the  guise  of  a  letter,  furnished  conversation 
over  the  counters,  and  in  the  fields,  and  by  the  fire- 
sides, for  many  a  day,  and  a  boy  with  his  heart  set  on 
adventure,  would  thrill  with  the  wonders  and  dangers 
of  the  deep,  held  back  in  the  dark  hours  of  the  night 
by  awe  of  storm  and  hunger,  mutiny  and  man-eating 
fishes;  pressed  forward  in  the  daylight,  by  the  fierce 
charm  of  the  sea,  and  the  wonders  of  distant  shores. 

John  Jacob  Astor  fed  on  every  scrap  of  news  regard- 
ing the  "New  Land"  which  came  to  him,  forgetting 
while  the  dream  lasted,  his  own  inability  to  take  a  step 
toward  it.  Life's  vision  was  large  in  those  days,  even 
though  the  daily  environment  was  cramped  and 
strained. 

John  Helffrich,  who  wrote  his  journal  of  a  four- 
months'  voyage,  said  little  regarding  himself  and  his 
companions,  being  absorbed  in  the  wonders  unfolding 
before  him.  Waldorf,  watching  in  the  account  for 
news  of  their  young  townsman,  would  find  it  only  in 
the  scant  references  to  numerous  times  when  John 
Gebhard  stayed  long  on  the  deck  in  the  teeth  of  a  com- 
ing storm,  or  clung  to  the  cabin  window  which  com- 
manded a  circumscribed  outlook  upon  the  raging  ele- 

32 


John   Helffrich's  Journal 


ments,  and  so,  over  and  over  again,  evidently  to  his 
companions '  enjoyment,  got  a  thorough  wetting  with 
sea  water.  The  two  Johns,  who  were  brothers,  seem 
to  have  been  of  a  more  cautious  temperament,  taking 
their  stations  near  trunks  and  chests  which  farnislx"! 
high  ground  in  time  of  deluge. 

After  a  long  interval,  Waldorf  learned  that  John 
Gebhard  had  sought  out  John  Henry  Livingston  on  his 
arrival  in  America,  being  glad  to  grasp  a  familiar 
hand,  and  that  their  old  pastor's  son  had  been  ap- 
pointed to  the  churches  of  Whitpain  and  Worcester  in 
Pennsylvania.  John  Helffenstein  found  a  charge  at 
Germantown,  in  the  same  State;  while  John  Hdffrich 
became  the  capable  and  self-sacrificing  over-shepherd 
of  a  group  of  churches,  including  Kurtztown,  DeLange, 
Weissenberg,  Lowhill.  and  Heidelberg,  in  Lehigh 
County,  Pennsylvania. 

A  few  years  afterward  word  reached  Waldorf,  that 
their  yimng  townsman  had  become  the  pastor  of  the 
German  Reformed  Church  m  New  York,  and  John 
Jacob  Astor  saw  a  second  link  of  comradeship  in  the 
land  of  his  vision.  Some  phase  of  its  unreality  dropped 
away  with  each  youth  who  crossed  the  ocean,  and  re- 
mained near  the  well-known  seaport  of  New  York. 

Through  Benjamin   Franklin's  kind  mediation,   let- 


33 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

ters  came  and  went  safely  to  and  from  the  little  town 
and  America  across  the  sea. 


34 


CHAPTER  VI. 
LEAVING  HOME. 

WHEN  young  Astor  was  sixteen,  his  slowly  ma- 
tured plans  reached  a  climax.  He  had  waited 
two  years  for  muscle  to  harden  and  manhood 
to  develop.  Now  his  decision  was  made.  Without 
money,  and  without  knowing  a  word  of  English,  John 
Jacob  Astor  resolved  to  go  to  America.  Since  there 
was  no  hope  of  financial  aid  to  smooth  his  passage 
thither,  he  set  his  sagacious  head  to  laying  a  path  for 
his  feet.  His  plan  was  to  work  his  way  to  London,  and 
there  spend  as  long  a  period  as  necessary,  earning  and 
saving  money,  and  learning  the  English  language. 

One  of  the  stories  that  had  floated  back  from  the 
"New  Land"  to  the  old  homes,  had  for  its  import,  the 
fact  that  immigrants  were  viewed  in  the  light  of  prey  on 
foreign  shores,  that  one  needed  to  be  very  wise  and  sharp 
on  his  own  account,  not  to  be  cheated.  How  could  a 
country  lad  of  Baden  hope  to  compete  fairly  in  such 
a  game,  unless  he  understood  the  English  language, 
and  had  some  financial  backing  to  make  him  independ- 
ent of  would-be  deceivers?  These  benefits  John  Jacob 

35 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

Astor  decided  to  make  his  own,  before  he  lifted  Irs 
foot  from  the  shores  of  the  old  world. 

Naturally,  Jacob  Astor  tried  to  hold  his  last  son 
from  leaving  home,  but  when  he  could  no  longer  move 
the  boy  to  his  way  of  thinking,  he  gave  a  reluctant  con- 
sent to  his  departure. 

Waldorf  was  nearly  three  hundred  miles  from  the 
sea-port  in  Holland,  from  which  young  Astor  would 
take  ship  for  England,  but  the  little  town  was  aho 
close  to  the  great  Black  Forest,  where  large  quantities 
of  timber  were  cut.  Instead  of  being  floated,  this  tim- 
ber was  rowed  down  the  Rhine  by  sixty  or  eighty  men 
to  a  raft.  These  men  were  paid  generous  wages  as  the 
work  was  hard. 

John  Jacob  Astor  by  this  time .  was  a  stout,  strong 
youth,  very  well  set  up,  though  a  little  under  size.  He 
felt  he  couid  compete  successfully  with  the  average 
oarsman  on  the  Rhine,  and  in  this  way  earn  the  money 
to  take  him  to  London. 

He  set  out  from  home  on  foot  upon  the  eventful 
morning,  with  a  bundle  of  clothes  hung  from  a  stick 
over  one  shoulder,  and  about  two  dollars  in  his  pocket- 
He  meant  to  walk  to  the  river  only  a  few  miles  dis- 
tant. Saying  good-bye,  at  last,  wasn't  exactly  easy, 
much  as  he  had  longed  for  the  day  of  departure  to 
come.  The  privations  of  life  in  Waldorf  grew  small 


36 


Leaving  Home 


in  his  eyes,  and  natural  affection  for  home  and  kin- 
dred threatened  to  turn  his  going  into  a  sad  event, 
rather  than  a  joyous  release. 

His  friends  watched  him  out  of  town,  down  the  road 
to  the  Rhine,  one  more  boy  leaving  his  native  village 
to  be  swallowed  up  by  the  great  world,  or  to  lift  hit 
In -ad  above  the  rest  and  be  heard  from  again. 

Valentine  Jeune  belonged  to  the  class  of  school 
t  far  hers  of  whom  Martin  Luther's  was  an  honored  ex- 
ample. Luther's  teacher  was  accustomed,  when  he  en- 
tered the  school  room,  to  bow  first  to  the  boys  in  the 
room,  and  next  to  the  girls.  "For  in  these  boys  before 
me,"  he  said,  "I  see  the  future  burgomasters,  lawyers, 
doctors,  merchants  and  theologians  of  Germany,  and 
in  the  girls  the  mothers  of  great  men." 

Young  Astor's  old  teacher  came  to  say  good-bye  with 
the  rest,  and  as  the  boy  was  lost  to  sight,  he  turned  to 
those  near  him,  and  said:  "I  am  not  afraid  for  John 
Jacob;  he'll  get  through  the  world.  Ho  has  a  clear 
howl,  and  everything  right  behind  the  ears." 

The  composed,  intelligent  look  in  the  boy's  eyes,  ns 
he  bade  his  friends  good-bye  in  manly  fashion,  bore  out 
his  teacher's  opinion. 

Then  Waldorf  went  back  to  its  store-keeping  and 
farming,  its  browing  and  baking,  its  home-making  and 


37 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

teaching,  and  its  raising  of  boys,  and  John  Jacob  As- 
tor strode  on  toward  the  Rhine. 

The  road  over  which  he  walked  was  cultivated  on 
either  side.  Early  vegetables  were  putting  out  green 
shoots,  and  the  wealth  of  clover  and  beautiful  wild 
flowers  made  a  pleasing  path  for  his  feet.  After  a  lit- 
tle he  passed  men  and  women  working  in  the  fields. 
Loaded  carts  went  by  drawn  by  cows,  and  children 
eyed  him  as  they  walked  along.  Each  of  his  fellow 
countrymen  wished  him  "Guten  Morgen,"  but  John 
Astor  hardly  heard  them.  His  eyes  were  full  of  tears, 
and  his  heart  thumped  till  it  seemed  to  fill  his  throat. 
His  feelings,  which  he  had  proudly  held  in  check 
as  he  left  his  home  town,  had  swept  back  to  overwhelm 
him. 

When  he  reached  a  secluded  place,  he  sat  down  un- 
der a  tree  near  the  road,  the  red-tiled  roofs  of  Waldorf 
still  in  sight  in  the  distance.  In  spite  of  the  hardships 
of  his  boyhood,  all  that  had  been  dear  and  uplifting 
and  kindly  returned  to  his  remembrance,  and  met  there 
the  current  of  outgoing  aspiration,  the  flood-tide  of 
hope  for  the  future.  The  largeness  of  life  took  pos- 
session of  him,  and  laid  hold  of  the  heart  of  his  young 
manhood.  He  found  himself,  under  the  tree  on  the 
Rhine  road,  and  there  he  made  three  resolutions:  "To 


38 


Leaving  Home 


be  honest,  and  industrious,  and  not  to  gamble.''  After 
that  he  went  on  with  fresh  courage. 

The  young  traveler  found  other  adventurers  at  the 
water's  edge,  also  ready  to  earn  their  passage  to  Eng- 
land, as  oarsmen  on  the  rafts,  for  it  was  a  favorite 
method  of  covering  this  part  of  the  journey.  Rowing 
the  great  logs  was  hard  work,  but  each  oarsman  had 
his  hope  and  his  destination. 

Most  of  the  workers  were  young,  and  all  were  full  of 
large  expectations.  Altogether  they  had  a  merry  time 
of  it,  cheering  their  toil  with  jokes  and  songs  by  night 
and  day.  John  Jacob  entered  into  the  new  occupation 
with  enthusiasm,  glad  of  all  the  muscle  he  had  gained 
and  toughened  carrying  heavy  baskets  for  his  father 
Food  was  supplied  them  on  the  journey,  and  the  stop- 
offs  to  build  camp  fires  in  the  forest,  with  their  promise 
of  hot  food  and  drink,  were  looked  forward  to  as  happy 
oases  in  the  trip. 

On  the  fourteenth  day  after  leaving  home,  young  As- 
tor  found  himself  at  a  Dutch  sea-port  (probably  Am- 
sterdam) with  ten  dollars  in  his  pockets,  a  larger  sum 
of  money  than  he  had  ever  possessed  before.  He  took 
passage  for  London,  where  he  landed  a  few  days  later, 
totally  unfamiliar  with  place  or  language,  but  fortu- 
nate in  having  an  older  brother  to  pave  the  way  for 
him.  Though  John  Jacob  and  his  brother  George  had 


39 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

not  seen  each  other  for  years,  they  met  with  true  Ger- 
man warmth,  and  George  Astor  assisted  his  younger 
brother  to  procure  employment,  probably  in  the  flute 
and  piano  manufactory  of  Astor  and  Broadwood. 


40 


CHAPTER  VII. 
ENGLAND  AND  AMERICA. 

DURING  the  next  four  years,  John  Jacob  Astoi 
became  what  American  boys  to-day  call  a  "  dig- 
ger." He  was  not  afraid  or  ashamed  of  hard 
work  of  any  kind,  but  gilded  it  always  with  dreams  of 
success  ahead.  It  was  the  means  to  a  desired  end.  and 
nothing  was  too  great  a  task  if  il  helped  him  to  move 
toward  his  ideal. 

A  Lutheran  clergyman  of  Baden,  writing  of  John 
Jacob  Astor  at  this  time,  assures  his  readers  that  young 
Astor  brought  to  London,  "A  pious,  true  and  godly 
spirit,  a  clear  understanding,  a  sound  youthful  elbo\v 
grease,  and  the  wish  to  put  it  to  good  use." 

The  path  to  success  is  divided  by  mile-stones  of  pos- 
sible attainment.  During  his  life  in  London  .John 
Jacob  Astor  kept  three  aims  before  him,  or  rather  four ; 
to  earn  and  save  money,  to  learn  the  Knjrlish  languagev 
and  to  obtain  all  the  information  he  could  about 
America.  In  entering  upon  this  course  of  action,  h? 
found  himself  handicapped  in  having  no  trade,  his 
wages  in  consequence  being  very  small.  Though  he 
was  at  work  at  five  in  the  morning,  and  labored  with 

41 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

all  his  might  through  the  day,  saving  every  penny  pos- 
sible, it  was  nearly  four  years  before  he  could  think  of 
crossing  the  ocean. 

These  were  years,  however,  full  of  tangible  benefits 
outside  of  earning  money.  The  boy  was  gaining  experi- 
ence in  many  ways.  Learning  the  English  language 
was  not  as  difficult  as  he  had  anticipated.  Spending  his 
days  in  a  work-shop  with  English  mechanics,  and  hav- 
ing few  German  friends,  he  was  almost  forced  to  the 
use  of  the  new  tongue.  In  six  weeks  he  had  progressed 
so  far,  that  he  could  make  himself  understood  along 
necessary  lines  of  communication.  Before  he  left  Lon- 
don he  could  speak  the  English  language  easily,  though 
keeping  the  German  accent  of  the  Fatherland. 

Obtaining  trustworthy  information  about  America 
was  more  difficult.  Maps,  geographies  and  books  of 
travel  were  scarce,  and  these  few  contained  many  er- 
roneous statements.  A  home-keeping  Englishman  of 
that  day,  looked  upon  America  as  composed  of  a  group 
of  rebellious  colonies,  making  a  great  ado  over  a  pal- 
try tax,  and  as  markedly  disloyal  to  the  mother  coun- 
try. The  persuasive  eloquence  and  generous  champion- 
ing of  America  and  her  people  by  Fox  and  Pitt,  Burke 
and  Sheridan  in  the  House  of  Commons,  may  have  oc- 
casionally filtered  in  sparkling  sentences  through  the 
work-shops  of  England,  reaching  the  one  in  which 

42 


England  and  America 


John  Jacob  worked;  but  his  main  source  of  informa- 
tion lay  in  casual  meetings  with  men  who  had  crossed 
the  Atlantic,  or  with  those  who  re-told  the  stories  of 
the  voyagers.  Naturally  many  of  these  tales  were  of  a 
grotesque  character,  and  unreliable  to  build  upon  for 
future  action. 

At  rare  intervals  Henry  Astor  wrote  from  New  York 
one  of  his  infrequent  letters.  He  was  already  established 
as  a  butcher  in  a  small  way,  wheeling  home  his  pur- 
chases of  sheep  and  calves  from  the  Bull's  Head,  in  a 
wheel-barrow,  and  ready  to  laud  America's  possibili- 
ties to  his  younger  brother. 

By  September,  1783,  John  Jacob  Astor  was  possessed 
of  a  good  suit  of  clothes  cut  in  the  English  fashion,  and 
about  seventy-five  dollars  in  money,  the  total  result  of 
four  years'  hard  work,  strenuous  endeavor,  and  the 
closest  economy. 

It  was  during  this  month  that  news  reached  London, 
that  Dr.  Franklin  and  his  associates,  after  two  years 
of  negotiations,  had  signed  the  treaty  which  settled  the 
independence  of  the  United  States.  Dr.  Franklin  was 
fond  of  predicting  that  when  the  independence  of 
America  became  an  accomplished  fact,  many  young 
men  of  intelligence,  fortune,  and  family,  would  seek 
the  shores  of  the  New  World  in  search  of  the  broad 
careers  it  would  offer. 


43 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 


He  did  not  suspect  that  a  German  youth,  hardly 
more  than  a  boy,  was  waiting  the  final  move  in  the 
Treaty  of  Peace,  in  a  London  work-shop,  resolved  to 
grasp  one  of  these  careers,  which  the  New  World  held 
out  for  those  who  knew  how  to  take  them. 

By  November,  1783,  John  Jacob  Astor  was  ready  to 
set  sail  for  Baltimore.  He  was  now  twenty  years  old, 
and  prepared  to  take  the  next  step  in  his  life  plan. 
His  capital  for  such  a  venture  was  small,  but  he  ex- 
pended it  with  a  wise  caution  which  suggested  a  clear 
business  head. 

A  third  of  his  savings  he  invested  in  seven  flutes. 
Carrying  these  with  him,  he  one  day  approached  Cap- 
tain John  Whetten — who  at  the  time  was  mate — aboard 
his  ship,  saying  he  wished  to  immigrate  to  America, 
and  asking  for  a  steerage  passage.  The  mate  was 
pleased  with  the  young  German 's  appearance,  and  after 
some  little  conversation,  advised  John  Astor  to  sail  on 
another  vessel  then  in  port,  which  would  probably  of- 
fer him  a  more  comfortable  berth. 

Young  Astor  took  Whetten 's  advise,  and  engaged 
passage  in  a  ship  commanded  by  Captain  Jacob  Stout, 
a  most  popular  English  Captain,  who  enjoyed  telling 
in  after  years,  that  he  first  brought  over  John  Jacob 
Astor  to  America.  The  young  immigrant  paid  twenty- 
five  dollars  for  his  passage,  preferring  the  sailor's  fare 

44 


England  and  America 


of  salt  beef  and  biscuit  to  a  larger  outlay  of  money. 
The  remainder  of  his  capital,  about  twenty-five  dollars, 
arried  with  him  in  the  form  of  money. 

The  joy  that  welled  up  in  his  heart  as  he  felt  the 
planks  of  the  ship  beneath  his  feet,  which  was  to  carry 
him  to  the  land  of  his  heart's  desire,  lifted  him  into  a 
new  world.  Tin-  bustle  jill  about  him.  the  smell  of  tar 
and  briny  water,  the  orders  of  Captain  and  mate,  t lu- 
ll ustling  of  sailors,  and  expectant  passengers,  the 
creaking  of  the  ship,  all  became  a  part  of  his  thrills  of 
joy  in  havinir  really  started  his  journey  to  America. 

But  his  time  of  rejoicing  soon  passed  into  days  and 
nights  of  anxiety.  The  voyage  proved  to  be  as  long  and 
tempestuous,  as  that  of  the  three  Johns  from  his  own 
neighborhood  years  before.  November  gales  and  De- 
cember storms  tried  the  little  craft  to  its  limit,  and 
gave  John  Astor  many  uncomfortable  days  and  sleep- 
less nights. 

Still  the  days  brought  much  of  interest  to  the  young 
voyager,  besides  their  vicissitudes.  Walking  on  the  quar 
ter  deck,  near  the  main  hatch,  he  sometimes  overheard 
the  talk  of  officers  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  who 
wen-  aboard.  These  scraps  of  conversation,  seasoned 
with  adventure,  naturally  whetted  his  appetite  for 
more. 

They  reaehed  Chesapeake  Bay  in  January,  1784,  but 


45 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

found  it  full  of  floating  ice  as  far  as  eye  could 
reach.  The  winter  storms  drove  the  ship  crunching  in 
between  the  ice  cakes  till  it  seemed  as  if  she  would  be 
broken  to  pieces.  On  one  occasion  of  great  danger, 
young  Astor  appeared  on  deck  dressed  in  his  new  Eng- 
lish suit,  answering  the  surprise  of  his  fellow  passen- 
gers with  the  remark,  that  if  he  escaped  with  his  life 
he  would  save  his  best  clothes,  and  if  he  lost  his  life, 
his  clothes  would  be  of  no  further  use  to  him. 

When  they  were  within  one  day  of  port,  the  wind 
died  down,  the  cold  increased,  and  in  the  morning  they 
found  themselves  hard-locked  in  a  sea  of  ice.  For  two 
months  they  were  ice-bound,  and  presumably  young 
Astor  exchanged  his  highly  valued  suit  of  clothes  for 
one  less  prized. 

Provisions  gave  out,  and  the  passengers  were  only 
relieved  when  the  ice  extended  to  the  shore,  and  be- 
came strong  enough  for  safety  in  passing  to  other 
ships,  and  to  the  land.  Many  of  the  passengers  were 
venturesome  enough  to  start  shoreward  over  the  rough, 
uneven  surface.  Picking  their  way  landward,  in  the 
face  of  the  biting  wind,  sometimes  with  the  sunshine 
on  their  backs,  often  with  the  fine  ice  crystals  cutting 
their  faces,  they  at  length  reached  shore,  and  journeyed 
by  land  to  their  destinations. 

This  method  of  traveling  was  not  within  the  means 


46 


England  and  America 


of  young  Astor,  and  he  was  obliged  to  remain  by  the 
ship.  Two  months  are  a  long  time  to  wait,  with  good  for- 
tune possibly  turning  her  favors  in  other  directions, 
since  the  would-be  venturer  is  not  at  hand.  However, 
both  ice-locked  ships  and  frozen  harbors  sometimes 
hold  fortune  in  their  grasp,  and  John  Jacob  Astor '« 
preparation  for  the  new  life  was  not  hindered  by  these 
seeming  obstacles. 

Among  the  passengers  in  the  same  plight  with  him- 
self, was  a  German  with  whom  young  Astor  had  made 
acquaintance  during  the  voyage.  Speaking  the  same 
tongue  drew  them  together,  and  each  confided  to  the 
other  much  of  his  past  history,  and  future  hopes.  The 
stranger  had  also  been  an  immigrant  to  America  a  few 
years  before.  He  had  bought  furs  from  the  Indians  and 
boatmen  coming  to  New  York  from  the  river  villages. 
At  length  he  had  gathered  together  quite  a  little  capi- 
tal, all  of  which  he  invested  in  skins,  and  took  them 
himself  to  England,  where  he  sold  them  at  a  large 
profit.  The  proceeds  he  invested  in  toys  and  trinkets, 
with  which  to  continue  the  trade  on  his  return. 

Day  by  day,  as  they  waited  for  the  ice  to  break  up, 
the  two  young  men  discussed  the  fur  trade,  his  fellow 
passenger,  after  strongly  advising  John  Jacob  Astor 
to  take  up  the  business,  initiating  him  in  many  of  its 
important  points.  He  told  him  of  the  respective  prices 


47 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 


of  skins  in  America  and  London;  instructed  him  where 
to  buy,  how  to  preserve,  pack,  and  transport  the  pel- 
tries, lie  <rave  him  the  names  of  special  dealers  in  New 
York,  Montreal  and  London,  and  told  him  the  season 
of  the  year  when  furs  were  most  abundant. 

All  this  was  most  interesting  to  young  Astor,  but  it 
seemed  to  him  to  call  for  a  greater  capital  than  he  pos- 
sessed. It  was  a  surprise  to  him  to  learn  that  with  a 
basket  of  toys,  or  even  cakes,  a  man  could  buy  valuable 
skins  on  the  wharves,  and  in  the  country  near  the  city, 
which  could  be  sold  with  profit  to  New  York  furriers. 
But  better  than  this,  when  it  could  be  arranged,  was  a 
connection  with  a  London  house,  where  furs  brought 
four  or  five  times  the  amount  of  their  cost  in  America. 

For  the  first  time  in  his  life,  John  Jacob  Astor  had 
an  opportunity  to  learn  a  trade  without  the  stipulated 
premium  ho  had  always  lacked.  He  was  learning  a 
business  in  the  middle  of  an  icy  bay,  with  his  workshop 
an  ice-bound  ship,  and  for  a  teacher  a  fellow-passenger 
with  himself. 

Young  Astor  determined  to  lose  no  time  when  the 
occasion  offered,  to  enter  this  profitable  business,  and 
meanwhile  laid  away  carefully  the  valuable  informa- 
tion which  had  come  to  him  so  unexpectedly.  The  lit- 
tle memorandum  book  in  which  he  jotted  down  the 


48 


England  and  America 


points  given  him  by  his  fellow  traveler,  is  said  to  be 
still  in  tin1  possession  of  the  Astor  family. 

The  hardest,  thickest  ice  will  perforate  in  time,  and 
waste  away  in  the  warmth  of  the  bright  sunshine  of 
late  winter  and  early  spring.  After  two  months  tl 
in  the  Chesapeake  grew  porous,  and  broke  into  broad 
fields  and  endless  cakes,  and  then  moved  out  into  the 
oeejm.  The  passengers  watched  the  breaking  up  with 
mingled  feelings  of  anxiety  and  pleasure;  but  as  thr 
water  cleared,  they  hailed  the  Itree/es  in  their  sails. 
and  the  motion  beneath  their  feet,  as  release  from  cap- 
tivity. 

After  landing  in  Baltimore  the  two  friends  traveled 
1o  New  York.  The  waiting  time  on  shipboard  and  t1"- 
journey  to  the  city,  had  almost  exhausted  John  Jacob 
Astor 's  purse,  but  he  still  had  his  seven  flutes.  Once 
more  in  a  brother's  house,  he  received  a  warm  wel- 
come, as  did  also  the  kindly  and  generous  companion  of 
his  voyage. 


49 


CHAPTER  VIII. 
AMERICA. 

BENJAMIN  Franklin  had  been  right  in  his  proph- 
ecy concerning  America.  There  was  rejoicing 
among  the  liberal-minded  in  the  old  world 
over  the  signing  of  the  Treaty  of  Peace,  and  younger 
Europe  turned  its  eyes  eagerly  toward  free  America. 
The  westward  tide  set  in.  Parton,  writing  of  that 
period,  says:  "Men  of  family  and  fortuno;  widows 
seeking  chances  for  their  children;  young  adventurers 
with  small  'ventures'  of  goods  and  capital;  and  hosts 
of  poor  men  who  sold  their  all,  or  mortgaged  their  labor 
to  pay  their  passage,  hastened  to  embark  for  the  land 
of  promise. " 

John  Jacob  Astor  found  teeming  life  on  every  side 
in  New  York.  His  own  feet  seemed  winged  as  they 
trod  on  the  soil  of  this  free  country,  and  the  joy  of 
himself  as  a  part  of  the  new  world  went  to  his  head 
like  wine. 

His  brother  Henry  lived  over  his  shop,  and  in  his 
house  John  Jacob  Astor  found  not  only  a  warm  wel- 
come, but  experienced  counsel.  Henry  Astor  had  ad- 
vanced from  the  wheel-barrow  stage  in  his  business, 

SO 


America 


and  acquired  a  horse.  He  had  prospered,  while  the  old 
Tory  families  and  a  host  of  British  officers  required 
their  tables  supplied  with  fresh  meat  each  day,  but 
with  the  British  evacuation  of  the  town,  and  the  return 
of  the  impoverished  Whigs,  his  trade  had  declined.  Nev- 
ertheless, he  offered  his  younger  brother  a  position  as 
clerk  in  his  business,  but  John  Jacob,  who  had  fled 
from  the  butcher's  trade  in  Waldorf,  was  not  in 
clined  to  resume  it  in  this  land  of  opportunity,  so  he 
declined  the  offer,  and  they  considered  other  occupa- 
tions. 

George  Diederich  was  a  German  baker,  who  had 
known  young  Astor  in  his  own  land.  Finding  him  look- 
ing for  employment,  he  engaged  him  to  peddle  cakes, 
cookies  and  doughnuts.  The  young  man  lived  for  sonic 
time  in  his  employer's  house  in  Queen  St.  (now  Pearl). 
The  Diederich  house,  which  had  been  standing  during 
the  Revolutionary  war,  was  a  fine  old  mansion,  rich  in 
quaint  wood  carving,  and  one  of  the  houses  noted  for 
its  frequent  entertainment  of  General  Washington. 

Peddling  cookies  and  doughnuts  was  a  respected  oc- 
cupation of  the  day.  All  the  large  bakers  sent  their  ap- 
prentices out  to  offer  for  sale  these  luxuries  of  the 
oven.  John  Jacob  had  gained  some  experience  in  the 
culinary  line  at  home,  and  so  could  help  with  the  bak- 
ing, as  well  as  serve  as  a  capable  salesman.  Tradition 

51 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

says  that  during  his  stay  with  Diederich  the  latter 's 
business  doubled. 

The  story  is  told  that  on  one  occasion  in  his  later 
years  of  prosperity,  John  Jacob  spoke  slightingly  of 
the  distillery  business,  which  occupation  engaged  the 
attention  of  his  sister  Catherine,  and  her  husband. 
Catherine  resented  it  with  sisterly  frankness,  dropping 
easily  into  her  native  brogue.  "Yacob  vas  noding  once 
hisself,"  she  exclaimed,  indignantly,  "put  a  paker 
boy,  und  solt  preat  und  kak." 

One  did  not  hide  an  aspiration  in  his  heart  in 
America,  for  someone  was  continually  rubbing  one's 
elbow,  who  had  the  like.  There  was  a  fellow  feeling  for 
great  expectations  on  every  side,  and  John  Jacob  As- 
tor often  found  a  fellow  sympathizer  where  he  least 
expected  it.  Everyone  had  his  adventurous  story  behind 
him,  and  his  hopes  ahead.  One  of  these  tales  came  to 
young  Astor  through  a  fair  customer. 

Abraham  Bininger,  whose  parents  were  natives  of 
Zurich,  Switzerland,  had  set  sail  as  a  child  with  his 
father  and  mother,  a  generation  before,  for  Savannah, 
Georgia.  Two  days  before  they  landed,  both  his  fath- 
er and  mother  died.  On  the  same  vessel  was  the  cele- 
brated John  Wesley,  who  saw  that  the  boy  was  taken  to 
the  Whitefield  Orphan  Asylum,  where  he  was  kindly 
cared  for  during  his  childhood. 


52 


America 


Later,  a  lai'ge  number  of  Moravians,  who  immigrated 
to  Philadelphia  from  the  Southern  city,  carried  young 
Bininger  with  them,  and  educated  him  in  their  faith. 
He  became  a  missionary  to  St.  Thomas,  in  the  W'^r 
Indies.  Arriving  at  his  destination,  he  was  told  t KU- 
DO one  would  be  allowed  to  preach  to  the  slaves,  who 
was  not  a  slave  himself.  Undaunted,  he  immediately 
sent  a  letter  to  the  Governor  of  St.  Thomas,  offering  to 
heeome  a  slave  that  he  might  carry  the  offer  of  s 
tion  to  the  negro  race. 

His  letter  eventually  reached  the  King  of  Denmark, 
who  was  so  moved  by  its  appeal,  that  he  gave  his  per- 
mission  for   the   young   missionary    to    p reach    to 
class  in  St.  Thomas. 

Of  this  stock  came  Abraham  Bininger,  the  son  of  th- 
missionary,  who  had  been  apprenticed  to  a  tanner  and 
leather-dresser  in  "the  Swamp"  in  New  York.  lie 
served  his  seven  years,  but  did  not  like  the  hi!-- 
sufficiently  to  remain  in  it.  At  twenty-one,  he  decide-i 
he  would  rather  earn  his  living  as  a  day  laborer,  than 
continue  his  present  occupation.  About  this  time  In- 
married  Kate  Embury,  a  niece  of  the  great  Methodist 
preacher. 

The  young  woman  was  beautiful  and  capable,  with 
a  good  head  for  business.  A  laborer's  wages  were  not 
ample,  and  the  young  wife  proposed  to  assist  her  hus- 


53 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

band  by  setting  up  a  business  stand  outside  her  door, 
upon  which  she  could  keep  her  eye  as  she  went  about 
her  household  duties.  The  scene  of  this  new  home  and 
business  venture  combined,  was  in  old  Augustus  Place, 
now  City  Hall  Place. 

At  first  the  young  matron  only  sold  a  few  cakes, 
cookies,  and  candies,  but  business  prospered,  and  she 
added  cabbages,  potatoes,  fruits,  tobacco  and  snuff. 
She  felt  an  increasing  pride,  as  she  called  upon  her 
young  husband  to  guess  at  nightfall  what  the  profits 
had  amounted  to  during  the  day.  It  had  been  a  great 
clay  when  they  added  groceries  to  their  stock,  and  she 
asked  Abraham  to  bring  home  seven  pounds  of  sugar 
at  night,  to  be  retailed  by  the  pennyworth  on  the  mor- 
row. 

Katie  B  hunger's  husband  was  not  the  only  person 
who  brought  her  provisions  for  sale.  John  Jacob  Astor 
appeared  each  morning  with  fresh  cookies,  cakes  and 
rusks  in  his  basket.  Similar  ambitions  moved  the  young 
German  lad  and  the  young  bride.  John  Astor  was  not 
simply  carrying  a  basket  of  rusks,  in  his  own  eyes.  He 
was  eagerly  walking  a  path  whose  every  step  led  to 
financial  success.  Katie  Bininger  was  not  keeping  a 
two-penny  grocery  stand.  She  was  beginning  to  build 
a  fortune  for  her  husband. 

The  tang  of  the  early  morning  air  coming  in  from 

54 


America 


the  bay,  the  spirit  of  the  times,  and  the  hope  in  their 
hearts,  were  all  fused  together  in  the  glances  that  shot 
from  their  eyes,  as  the  cakes  changed  their  places  from 
John  Jacob's  basket  to  Katie's  counter.  The  words 
they  flung  at  each  other,  in  the  haste  of  the  morning 
sales,  also  spoke  of  future  expectations.  Nothing  was 
supposed  to  remain  as  it  was  with  these  young  people. 
Every  day  was  to  show  progression,  and  the  great  thing 
about  these  dreams  was,  that  they  came  true. 

Both  of  these  youthful  merchants  had  pluck,  push 
and  skill,  and  they  never  allowed  any  of  them  to  grow 
rusty  for  lack  of  use.  John  Jacob  might  tell  Katie  of 
the  wonderful  swimming  of  Robert  Goelet,  the  fat  son 
of  the  iron  monger,  who  could  lie  upon  his  back,  with 
his  hands  under  his  head,  and  float  upon  the  wate* 
as  securely  as  if  on  a  feather  bed ;  or  Katie  might  tell 
John  Jacob  that  she  had  heard  his  brother  Harry's 
wife  called  "de  pink  of  de  Bowery/'  a  complimer^ 
spicy  with  association  with  the  clove  pinks  which 
abounded  in  all  the  Dutch  gardens — but  these  were 
mere  civilities.  Their  real  object  in  life  was  getting  on. 

The  streets  themselves  held  a  charm  for  the  country- 
bred  boy.  There  were  venders  of  many  strange  commod- 
ities on  the  Bowery.  Colored  women,  with  flaming 
bandanna  kerchiefs,  tied  in  a  peak  on  their  heads  West 
India  fashion,  and  wearing  clean  white  aprons,  sat  at 

55 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

the  corners  of  the  streets  selling  hot  corn  on  the  ear. 
On  each  side  of  them  was  a  cup,  one  containing  salt 
and  the  other  butter.  A  more  appetizing  breakfast 
could  scarcely  be  conceived  than  these  ears  of  hot  corn, 
cnlcn  as  one  stood. 

John  Astor  could  hear  the  musical  voices  around  a 
corner,  or  half  way  down  a  block,  ' '  Hot  corn,  hot  corn ! 
Here's  your  lily  white  corn,"  and  they  drew  his  willing 
feet  nearer. 

One  old  woman,  on  the  corner  of  Hester  and  Bond 
Streets,  sang  her  call  in  rhyme: 
"Hot  corn,  hot  corn! 

Some  f«  :ind  some  for  two  conts. 

( 'orn  costs  money,  and  fire  expense, 
Hero's  your  lily-white  corn." 

Trays  of  baked  pears  swimming  in  molasses,  held  by 
the  stem  while  eaten,  were  also  a  Dutch  street  dainty, 
whose  succulent  sweetness  tempted  the  passer-by. 

Nor  was  it  food  alone  which  was  sold  along  the  way- 
side. The  genuine  "sand  man,"  familiar  to  all  the 
childish  world,  sold  Rockaway  sand  for  sanding  eating- 
house  floors,  and  those  of  both  kitchen  and  parlor  in 
ihe  Dutch  vrouw's  home.  On  the  parlor  floor  the  sand 
was  worked  with  a  broom  into  all  sorts  of  fantastic 
shapes,  and  the  door  was  shut  upon  this  artistic  glory 
until  some  state  occasion.  Negroes  sold  straw  for  fill- 


56 


America 


ing  beds;  and  peddlers  pure  spring  water  from  Green- 
wich village,  for  two  cents  a  pail. 

It  was  like  the  street  fairs  at  home  when  John  Jacob 
Astor  first  began  to  tread  New  York  thoroughfares; 
but  before  long  the  streets  became  familiar,  and  he 
wended  his  way  amongst  the  unusual  sights  and 
sounds  as  if  he  belonged  there,  but  always  looking  be- 
yond them  to  his  next  step  on  the  road  to  success. 


57 


CHAPTER  IX. 
BEGINNING  THE  FUR  BUSINESS. 

WHILE  he  was  in  the  employ  of  George  Dieder- 
ich,  and  delivering  his  cakes  to  the  smaller 
shops  in  the  city,  young  Astor  was  keeping  his 
eyes  and  ears  open  for  an  opportunity  to  enter  the  fur 
business.  This  had  become  his  chief  ambition. 

The  way  opened  in  a  few  weeks.  Robert  Bowne,  an 
aged  and  benevolent  Quaker,  long  established  in  the 
business  of  buying,  curing  and  selling  peltries,  needed 
a  clerk,  and  considered  John  Jacob  Astor 's  application 
favorably.  He  was  engaged  at  two  dollars  a  week,  and 
again  found  home  and  board  in  the  family  of  his  em- 
ployer. The  new  clerk  began  work  the  next  day,  and 
discovered  that  his  start  in  the  fur  business  called 
for  a  generous  amount  of  the  elbow  grease,  of  which  his 
old  teacher  had  recommended  his  pupil  as  possessed. 
He  beat  furs  that  day  and  many  a  day  after,  during 
the  summer  which  followed,  for  an  important  part  of 
the  fur  trade  lay  in  preventing  moths  from  destroying 
the  soft  hair  on  the  skins. 

John  Jacob  Astor  set  himself  with  all  his  heart  to 
learning  the  business,  on  the  principle  that  knowledge 

58 


The  Fur  Business 


is  power.  He  was  moral,  temperate  and  industrious,  and 
to  these  foundation  qualities,  he  added  incessant  ac- 
tivity in  acquiring  a  knowledge  of  furs,  fur-bearing 
animals,  fur-gathering  Indians,  fur-abounding  sections, 
fur-dealers  and  fur-markets. 

Often  bear  and  beaver  skins  were  brought  directly 
to  Bowne's  store  by  hunters,  trappers  and  Indians. 
Country  boys  who  had  trapped  or  shot  some  animal 
whose  skin  was  of  value,  brought  their  prizes  with 
them,  or  sent  them  by  some  larger  collector  of  furs. 
Skins  had  an  actual  money  value  easy  of  access  in 
those  days,  the  time  not  being  long  past,  when  farms 
were  bought  and  sold  for  a  stated  number  of  bear  or 
beaver  skins. 

Young  Astor  questioned  the  traders,  large  and 
small,  when  he  had  a  chance,  losing  no  opportunity  of 
procuring  information.  He  made  for  himself  a  special- 
ized course  as  a  fur  student,  finding  his  teachers  in 
everyone  who  came  his  way  with  a  grain  of  knowledge 
to  offer.  With  such  faithfulness  to  business,  the  young 
man  grew  in  the  esteem  of  his  employer.  His  salary  was 
raised,  and  before  long  he  was  sent  on  short  excursions 
into  the  surrounding  country,  for  the  purpose  of  gath- 
ering skins  from  the  farmers  and  country  stores.  In 
time  these  trips  were  extended  to  Northern  and  East- 
ern New  York. 


59 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

In  1785  he  made  his  first  trip  into  the  wilderness,  as 
a  purchaser  of  furs  from  the  friendly  part  of  the  Six 
Nations.  Once  more  he  thrilled  over  a  "venture"  into 
the  unknown.  With  a  pack  of  German  toys  on  his  back, 
and  clad  for  rough  tramping,  he  started  up  country. 
He  was  strong,  and  capable  of  great  endurance,  and 
these  trips  tested  his  strength  to  the  utmost. 

Sometimes  he  tramped  along  newly-made  roads, 
rough  clods  under  his  feet  but  a  bright  sun  over  his 
head,  the  signs  of  recent  settling  all  about  him.  Farm- 
houses were  usually  far  apart,  and  he  often  ate  his 
dinner,  which  had  been  stored  away  in  a  corner  of  the 
pack  on  his  back,  under  some  tree  of  the  forest,  grown 
unhindered  where  it  stood  for  centuries,  till  the  white 
man's  road  had  been  laid  past  it. 

Prom  elevations  he  caught  sight  of  chimneys  in  the 
distance,  and  turned  into  the  woods,  on  a  chance  of 
procuring  stored-up  skins  at  the  farm-houses  hidden 
among  the  trees.  Indian  trails  intersected  each  other 
on  both  sides  of  the  Hudson.  Beaten  by  the  feet  of  red 
men  for  scores  of  years,  they  proved  a  better  footing 
than  newly-made  roads. 

Along  these  foot-paths  he  sometimes  found  sma1! 
camps  of  Indians,  and  in  the  season  they  were  almost 
sure  to  have  skins  in  small  quantities  awaiting  barter. 
Each  day's  tramp  revealed  facts  regarding  land  and 


60 


The  Fur  Business 


homesteads;  settlers  of  many  languages;  haunts  still 
held  by  the  red  men ;  the  best  places  to  secure  peltries ; 
and  the  most  profitable  opportunities  to  buy  them. 

Nothing  escaped  young  Astor 's  eyes  or  ears.  Though 
on  his  employer's  business,  he  was  also  on  a  voyage  of 
discovery,  whose  results  would  affect  his  future  life. 

The  Indian  was  a  great  bargainer,  and  Astor  needed 
to  study  his  subject  well  to  get  the  best  in  a  ci 
of  commodities.  He  was  familiar  with  the  handicap  of 
an  unknown  tongue  in  a  strange  land,  and  he  set  him 
self  in  his  leisure  hours,  to  studying  the  Indian  lan- 
guage.  Friendly   Indians  on  his  travels,  or  around   a 
camp  fire  at  night,  showed  solemn  interest  in  these  at- 
tempts of  the  young  white  brave  to  utter  their  irui 
turals,  or  learn  their  sign  language. 

Young  Astor  kept  this  up  for  six  years,  attaining 
greater  proficiency  each  trip.  "At  the  end  of  that  time 
he  could  converse  intelligently  in  the  languages  of  the 
Mohawk,  Seneca,  and  Oneida  tribes.  It  is  said  he  was 
the  first  fur  dealer  to  win  this  advantage,  and  it  gave 
him  great  prestige  among  the  red  men,  and  was  of 
marked  pecuniary  value  to  him." 

Besides  acquiring  the  Indian  sijrns  and  langun«rt's,  tln» 
young  trader  developed  rare  ability  in  selecting  goods 
which  would  tempt  the  savages,  and  induce  them  to 
part  with  their  valuable  peltries.  He  also  exercised 


61 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

much  patience  and  skill  in  conducting  the  tedious  bar- 
gaining bouts,  with  which  the  Indians  always  preceded 
a  sale. 

The  furs  procured  from  the  Six  Nations,  he  employed 
Indians  in  carrying  to  the  Hudson,  where  they  were 
placed  on  one  of  the  sloops  which  plied  the  waters  of 
this  beautiful  river,  and  taken  to  the  docks  in  New 
York.  The  sloop  journeys  down  the  Hudson  were 
sometimes  long,  occupying  from  one  to  two  weeks,  ac- 
cording as  the  voyagers  were  favored  by  the  elements; 
but  young  Astor  cherished  in  his  heart  the  joy  of  a  full 
harvest,  and  could  afford  to  sail  at  the  beck  of  wind 
and  tide.  The  sloops  bound  for  the  city  often  carried 
old  salts,  who  were  well  acquainted  with  broader  wa- 
ters, and  the  long  pleasant  days  and  moonlight  nights, 
or  intermittent  times  of  storm,  found  the  young  trader 
listening  to  many  a  sea  yarn,  and  gathering  by  the 
way,  valuable  scraps  of  information  to  be  put  in  use 
later  on. 

So  successful  was  the  young  traveler  on  these  jour- 
neys, that  he  was  intrusted  with  the  responsibility  of 
the  annual  trip  to  Montreal,  in  the  place  of  his  em- 
ployer. Montreal  was  the  chief  fur  market  of  the  coun- 
try, and  above  Albany  the  path  thither  lay  through  the 
wilderness.  With  his  accustomed  pack  on  his  back,  John 
Jacob  Astor  walked  from  Albany  to  Lake  George. 

62 


The  Fur  Business 


Here  he  hired  a  canoe,  and  paddled  up  the  long, 
beautiful  length  of  the  lake.  The  scattered  islands,  the 
green-tinged  waters,  reflecting  the  mighty  forests 
climbing  its  sides,  the  nights  spent  in  the  shelter  of 
some  friendly  cove,  formed  an  enjoyable  part  of  the 
journey.  Rolled  in  a  blanket,  lying  in  the  bottom  of 
his  boat  or  on  a  mossy  bank,  the  starry  glory  of  the 
sky,  the  water  dashing  into  white  foam  against  some 
far  rocks  on  the  shore,  lulled  the  youthful  traveler  to 
rest,  his  wearied  body  insuring  him  sound  sleep. 

Yet  life  was  not  all  repose  even  in  the  silent  night, 
for  the  sound  of  crackling  bushes,  or  loose  rolling 
stones,  might  mean  a  bear  in  the  underbrush,  a  panther 
sliding  between  the  forest  growths,  a  deer  stalking 
through  the  night,  or  the  more  welcome  sounds  made 
by  smaller  game.  A  clear,  bright  fire  on  the  shore, 
kept  animal  life  at  bay,  and  though  young  Astor  might 
find  porcupine  quills  scattered  about  when  morning 
came,  he  passed  through  his  journey  safely. 

Doubtless  he  added  salmon,  trout,  and  pike  to  his 
meagre  bill  of  fare  when  they  could  be  caught,  enjoy- 
ing, with  a  young  man's  keen  hunger,  this  appetizing 
fare  from  what  is  now  Paradise  Bay,  or  Sabbath  Day 
Point.  But  for  the  most  part  the  young  fur-gatherer 
pushed  on,  intent  on  his  business. 

By  canoe  and  portage  he  made  his  way  along  the  lit- 

63 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

tie  stream  that  connects  Lake  George  with  Lake  Chain- 
plain,  looking  with  curious  eyes  upon  Port  Ticondero- 
ga,  whose  surrender  was  demanded  from  the  English 
Captain  in  charge,  by  Ethan  Allen,  "in  the  name  of 
Almighty  God  and  the  Continental  Congress."  Con- 
tinuing the  journey  by  canoe  to  the  head  of  Lak^ 
Champlain,  he  ultimately  reached  Montreal.  The  furs 
secured  here  were  shipped  to  England,  since  the  law 
forbade  the  importation  of  furs  from  Canada  to  the 
United  States. 

During  the  year  he  was  with  Robert  Bowne,  young 
Astor  began  a  little  trading  on  his  own  account,  for  the* 
most  part  buying  skins  from  those  who  brought  furs 
to  market,  by  way  of  the  sloops  and  other  vessels  lying 
in  the  harbor. 

Meanwhile  the  Astor  flutes  did  not  sell  very  fast. 
There  were  two  other  dealers  in  New  York  who  sold 
harpsichords,  pianos,  and  barrel  organs;  and  Dodd,  of 
66  Queen  Street,  made  a  specialty  of  other  musical  in- 
struments. Without  a  place  of  business  of  his  own,  the 
young  German  finally  left  his  flutes  to  be  sold  on  com- 
mission at  the  printing  office  of  Samuel  Loudon,  of  the 
"New  York  Packet."  This  custom  had  been  estab- 
lished with  the  dawn  of  the  first  newspapers  in  New 
York. 

The  advertisement:   "German  Flutes  of   a   superior 

64 


The  Fur  Business 


Quality  to  be  sold  at  this  Printing  Office,  ' '  appeared  oc- 
casionally in  the  paper  until  March,  1785,  when  sup- 
posedly the  flutes  were  disposed  of,  the  money  turned 
into  skins  which  were  sent  to  England,  permanent  ar- 
rangements being  made  for  the  shipping  of  furs,  and 
a  consignment  of  musical  instruments  from  Astor  and 
Broadwood  brought  to  New  York  on  the  return  trip. 

Patience  and  perseverence  seemed  to  be  inexhaustible 
in  the  well  from  which  John  Jacob  Astor  drew,  but 
long  as  was  the  well-sweep,  it  always  brought  up  a 
bucket,  full  and  running  over. 


65 


CHAPTER  X. 
NEW  YORK  A  LITTLE  CITY. 

WHILE   with   Robert   Bowne,   young   Astor    was 
making  acquaintance  not  only  with  hunters, 
trappers,  and  fur-gatherers  from  up  country, 
but     also     with     shippers     to     foreign     ports,     and 
with  the  rising  men  of  New  York.     Life  was  form- 
ing    itself     about     the     young     immigrant     in     rec- 
ognizable   shape.       The    Quaker    shippers    and    men 
of  standing  in  the  Society,  naturally  came  under  his  ob- 
servation in  this  Quaker  stronghold. 

John  and  Robert  Murray  were  among  the  most  noted 
of  these  men.  The  two  brothers  had  owned  more  ships 
before  the  Revolutionary  War  than  any  other  men  in 
the  country.  Robert  Murray  had  also  been  singled  out 
as  one  of  the  five  persons  wealthy  enough  to  own  a 
coach,  which  in  order  to  avoid  an  appearance  of  undue 
prlle,  he  called  "my  leather  conveniency. ' '  John 
Murray,  the  elder,  had  died  soon  after  the  war,  but 
Robert  had  a  son  John,  and  a  second  son,  Lindley,  the 
grammarian.  All  the  Murrays  were  deeply  interested 
in  philanthropy.  The  elder  John  had  a  country  home 

66 


New  York  a  Little  City 


out  by  the  old  Powder  House  and  Sunfish  Pond,  near 
Twentieth  Street,  very  far  up  town,  while  Robert 
owned  the  whole  of  Murray  Hill,  which  was  named  af- 
ter him. 

John  Jacob  Astor  was  becoming  acquainted  with  his 
surroundings  even  as  distant  as  the  Murray  home. 

Perhaps  the  most  significant  fact  connected  with  the 
Murrays,  was  a  society  of  which  John  Murray,  Jr.,  was 
treasurer.  Events  dated  back  with  the  New  Yorkers  of 
that  day,  to  before,  or  after  the  war.  As  early  as  the 
Revolutionary  War,  "The  Society  for  Promoting  the 
Manumission  of  the  Slaves,  and  Protecting  Such  of 
Them  as  have  been  Liberated,"  had  been  formed,  and 
met  at  the  Coffee  House,  with  John  Jay  as  President. 
Its  committees  were  formed  largely  of  Quakers — the 
names  of  Samuel  Franklin,  John  Keese,  Willett  and 
Jacob  Seaman  and  William  Shotwell  being  among  the 
number.  So  early  did  abolition  societies  begin  in  the 
new  world!  Fresh  arrivals  to  American  shores  found 
much  to  consider  here,  besides  a  chance  to  get  on  in 
the  world. 

The  old  Quaker  Meeting  House  stood  at  this  time 
in  Liberty  Street,  that  is,  the  building  stood  forty  feet 
back,  with  a  long  yard  in  front.  New  York  did  not 
count  her  square  feet  of  land  as  carefully  then  as  now, 
and  there  were  gardens  both  in  front  and  rear  of  many 

67 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

homes, — cheerful  gardens  full  of  flowers,  that  spoke 
of  the  native  lands  of  the  occupants  of  the  houses  at- 
tached. The  sending  of  flower  seeds  over  the  seas,  was 
a  trace  of  sentiment  that  traveled  in  the  holds  of  the 
ships,  that  touched  the  shores  of  both  the  new  and  the 
old  world.  There  were  vegetable  gardens,  too,  planted 
after  Dutch  and  German,  Scotch  and  Huguenot,  Eng- 
lish and  Welsh  fashion. 

The  Dutch  housewives  leaned  over  their  doors  which 
were  cut  through  the  middle,  and  watched  the  comings 
and  goings  of  their  neighbors  in  restful  moments,  or 
spoke  a  friendly  word  to  a  passer-by,  when  not  engaged 
in  household  duties,  while  their  husbands  smoked  their 
pipes  in  peace  on  their  own  front  stoops  in  the  cool  of 
the  evening. 

In  1786  the  city  only  counted  twenty-three  thousand 
inhabitants  and  was  a  neighborly  place.  Everyone 
knew  the  man  or  woman  who  passed  him  on  the  street, 
and  even  at  the  Battery,  the  favorite  walk  of  pedestri- 
ans, one  was  familiar  not  only  with  "the  Battery 
walkers,"  but  with  the  children  who  played  on  the 
grass  as  well. 

While  young  Astor  was  meeting  many  new  people, 
there  were  those  nearer  to  him  by  ties  of  blood  and  na- 
tive country,  who  held  his  interest,  and  others  to  be 
found  for  the  effort. 


68 


New  York  a  Little  City 


His  brother  Henry  was  prospering  in  these  days. 
The  beautiful  young  wife  whom  he  had  married,  he, 
as  well  as  others  according  to  Katie  Bininger,  delight- 
ed to  call  "de  pink  of  de  Bowery/'  His  pride  in  bis 
young  wife  caused  him  to  bring  her  home  many  pres- 
ents of  gay  dresses  and  ribbons,  so  that  she  rivalled 
even  the  unquestioned  charm  of  a  clove  pink.  The 
young  matron  was  industrious  as  well  as  beautiful,  and 
found  ways  to  help  her  husband  in  his  business.  They 
continued  to  live  in  good  old  Dutch  fashion  over  their 
shop. 

Henry  Astor  had  conceived  the  idea  of  driving  out 
of  town,  fifteen  or  twenty  miles,  and  purchasing  drovea 
of  cattle  on  their  way  to  the  city;  later  selling  the  ani 
mals  to  less  enterprising  butchers  at  an  advanced 
price.  In  this  way,  and  by  other  avenues  of  trade,  hi?i 
fortune  was  increasing,  and  seemed  likely  to  eclipse 
that  of  his  younger  brother. 

The  German  Reformed  Church, — an  offshoot  from 
the  Reformed  Dutch  Collegiate  Church  of  New  York, — 
of  which  the  youthful  Rev.  John  Gabriel  Gebhard  had 
become  pastor,  while  John  Jacob  Astor  was  yet  watch- 
ing for  a  way  to  open  for  his  own  coming  to  America, 
still  stood  on  Nassau  Street  between  John  Street  and 
Maiden  Lane.  While  opposing  sentiments  were  grow- 
ing hot  in  the  city  before  the  war,  the  young  Domine 


69 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

had  expressed  himself  frankly  and  loyally,  from  hib 
pulpit,  as  on  the  side  of  the  Colonies.  In  a  city  invest- 
ed by  the  British,  such  sentiments  were  not  favored  in 
private,  much  less  from  the  public  desk,  so  the  young 
man,  after  a  two-years'  pastorate  in  New  York,  had 
been  among  the  loyal  third  of  the  inhabitants,  who  left 
this  British  stronghold  for  a  purer  and  more  patriotic 
air. 

He  had  gone  with  his  little  family  to  Kingston,  and 
a  short  time  afterward  became  the  pastor  of  the  Re- 
formed Dutch  Church  at  Claverack,  New  York,  in  the 
Lower  Van  Rensselaer  Manor.  The  German  Reformed 
Church,  in  common  with  many  others,  had  been  closed 
during  the  war,  though  in  this  case  through  the  influ- 
ence of  the  Hessians  in  command,  the  church  had  not 
met  the  indignity  of  being  turned  into  a  riding  school 
or  prison  by  the  British,  but  was  preserved  in  an  ex- 
ceptionally good  condition. 

After  the  war  was  over,  the  intrepid  young  Domine 
was  called  back  to  his  old  charge,  but  being  settled  by 
this  time  in  his  new  home,  in  one  of  the  most  charming 
sections  along  the  Hudson  River,  he  declined  the  call, 
and  John  Jacob  Astor  did  not  find  his  fellow  towns- 
man in  the  German  Church  in  New  York. 

He  did  find  an  earnest  young  minister  by  the  name 
of  the  Rev.  John  Daniel  Gross,  and  heard  preaching  in 

70 


New  York  a  Little  City 


his  own  mother  tongue,  as  well  as  the  singing  of  Ger- 
man hymns,  which  moved  his  music-loving  soul. 

He  also  found  Baron  Steuben  among  the  members 
of  this  church — a  man  of  whom  all  German- Americans 
were  proud.  He  was  a  prominent  figure  in  the  city  at 
this  time,  in  both  public  and  social  life.  Among  other 
positions  of  honor  which  he  held,  was  that  of  Vice 
President  of  the  Society  of  the  Cincinnati. 


71 


CHAPTER  XI. 
STARTING  IX  BUSINESS  FOR  HIMSELF. 

ABOUT  two  years  after  John  Jacob  Astor's  ar- 
rival  in   America,   in   1785,   he  married   Miss 
Sarah  Todd,  daughter  of  Mrs.  Sarah  Todd,  a 
widow,  who  lived  at  81  Queen  Street,  (now  Pearl)  not 
far  from  George  Diederich's,  though  on  the  other  side 
of  the  street. 

Young  Astor  had  saved  a  few  hundred  dollars,  and 
in  1786,  hired  a  couple  of  rooms  from  Mrs.  Todd,  and 
set  up  in  business  for  himself.  One  of  the  possibilities 
of  the  fur  trade  in  the  latter  part  of  the  eighteenth 
century,  was,  that  though  it  admitted  of  wide  expan 
sion,  it  could  be  entered  upon  with  very  small  capital. 
The  young  merchant  furnished  his  shop  with  Ger- 
man toys  and  knicknacks,  and  a  few  musical  instru- 
ments, paying  cash  for  skins  of  muskrats,  raccoons,  and 
those  of  other  animals,  selling  them  again  at  a  good 
profit.  The  proprietor  of  the  little  shop  worked  tire- 
lessly. He  could  not  afford  a  clerk,  and  with  the  as- 
sistance of  his  wife,  did  all  the  labor  connected  wit1! 
the  business  himself.  Every  farmer's  boy  on  the  out- 

72 


Starting  in  Business 


skirts  of  the  city,  occasionally  had  a  akin  to  sell,  and 
bears  abounded  in  the  Catskill  Mountains.  A  large 
part  of  New  York  State  was  still  a  fur-bearing  coun- 
try. Even  Long  Island,  near  at  hand,  added  her  quota 
of  skins.  John  Jacob  Astor  bought,  cured,  beat  and 
packed  his  peltries.  From  dawn  till  dark  saw  him 
engaged  in  some  part  of  the  fur  trade.  His  indomitable 
ardor  never  waned.  He  was  still  upon  the  lower  rounds 
of  the  ladder,  but  climbing. 

He  tells  a  story  of  himself  at  this  period.  A  new 
row  of  houses  on  Broadway  was  exciting  the  interest 
of  the  city,  owing  to  their  unusual  size  and  beauty.  As 
the  youthful  merchant  passed  them  one  day,  he  said 
to  himself,  "I'll  build  sometime,  a  grander  house  than 
any  of  these,  and  in  this  very  street."  while  he 

prophesied  great  things  for  the  future,  the  present 
held  his  unswerving  interest  and  attention. 

When  the  proper  season  of  the  year  came  around) 
he  shouldered  his  pack  and  started  on  his  collecting 
tours.  Cakes,  toys,  paints  and  trinkets,  cheap  jewelry 
and  birds,  making  up  a  pack  of  surprising  attractive- 
ness to  the  red  men.  He  is  said  to  have 
walked  over  every  road,  and  traversed  every 
Indian  trail  and  bridle  path  in  New  York 
State,  in  search  of  furs,  climbing  mountains, 
wading  or  swimming  creeks  or  rivers,  if  they  lay  be- 


73 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

tween  him  and  the  tents  of  the  Mohawks,  Senecas, 
Oneidas,  or  other  Indian  tribes. 

He  learned  to  know  broad  stretches  of  country,  the 
fording  places  of  rivers  and  streams,  and  the  positions 
of  the  Indian  settlements.  These  Indian  settlements 
were  not  always  stationary.  A  little  colony  of  tents 
would  be  packed  up  and  moved  afar  between  sunset 
and  sunrise;  so  that  the  young  trader  needed  not  only 
to  locate  his  fur-market,  but  to  reckon  on  flood  and 
drought,  full  harvests  and  rumors  of  war,  as  well  as 
many  another  motive,  which  might  cause  his  journey 
to  any  particular  point  to  be  in  vain. 

He  formed  a  partnership  with  Peter  Smith,  father 
of  Gerrit  Smith,  who  was  at  that  time  a  poor  youth 
like  himself.  Together  they  tramped  all  over  the  ground 
from  Schenectady  to  Utica,  when  the  latter  city 
was  in  the  making,  bartering  the  goods  from  their  packs 
for  furs  at  the  Indian  settlements  on  the  route;  the  In- 
dians aiding  them  in  carrying  their  heavy  burdens  back 
to  Schenectady,  or  all  the  distance  to  the  Hudson  River. 
They  sold  their  peltries  in  New  York,  and  when  their 
stock  was  exhausted,  again  penetrated  the  forests  of  the 
frontiers  to  replenish  their  supplies. 

"Many  a  time/'  related  a  gentleman  of  Schenectady, 
"have  I  seen  John  Jacob  Astor,  with  his  coat  off,  un- 
packing in  a  vacant  yard  near  my  residence,  a  lot  of 

74 


THE    ORIGINAL    FUR-PRESS 

USED  IN  THE  FUR  BUSINESS  OF  JOHN  JACOB  ASTOR 

MADE  IN   1805 


Starting  in  Business 


furs  he  had  bought  dog-cheap  of  the  Indians;  beating 
them  out,  cleaning  and  repacking  them  in  more  elegant 
and  salable  form,  to  be  transported  to  England  or  Ger- 
many, where  they  would  yield  him  a  large  per  cent  on 
the  original  cost." 

After  a  time  Peter  Smith  settled  in  the  Mohawk  val- 
ley, opening  an  Indian  trader's  store  in  the  corner  of 
his  house  in  Utica  to  supplement  the  fur  business,  but 
he  still  sent  furs  to  John  Jacob  Astor,  in  New  York. 

His  fearless  partner  continued  his  numberless  tramps 
through  the  wilderness,  becoming  still  more  familiar 
with  hills  and  valleys,  the  long  miles  skirting  the  Hud- 
son, and  the  shores  of  the  great  Lakes.  With  a  clear 
vision  of  the  future,  he  pointed  out  sites  of  great  towns, 
particularly  those  of  Rochester  and  Buffalo,  one  with 
its  harbor  on  Lake  Erie,  and  the  other  on  Lake  Ontario. 
While  he  was  making  these  predictions  of  large  and 
prosperous  cities,  there  were  only  a  few  scattered  houses 
at  Buffalo,  and  Indian  wigwams  at  Rochester. 

On  his  shorter  excursions  into  the  country  collecting 
skins  from  house  to  house,  or  on  his  trips  up  the  Hud- 
son, he  became  a  familiar  figure  as  he  trod  the  post- 
road,  stopping  at  farm-house  doors,  or  passing  the  time 
of  day  with  farmers  in  the  fields.  Landing  a  shoulder 
of  skins  upon  a  good  dame's  neatly  sanded  floor,  was 
not  over-pleasing  to  a  Dutch  housewife ;  but  his  comings 

75 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

and  goings  are  still  remembered  at  Albany,  and  King- 
ston, and  Claverack,  and  many  another  Hudson  River 
town  and  village,  in  the  stories  passed  down  to  chil- 
dren's children. 

At  Claverack  he  found  more  than  a  stranger's  wel- 
come. The  little  old  knocker  on  the  parsonage  door 
led  him  into  a  family  circle  of  friends.  Going  or  com- 
ing from  his  northern  trips, — either  along  the  post- 
road,  or  by  Captain  Abraham  Staats  good  sloop  "Clav- 
erack, ' '  which  dropped  him  at  Claverack  Landing,  after 
which  he  would  make  nothing  of  a  tramp  of  four  miles 
along  the  beautiful  Claverack  Creek, — he  was  pretty 
sure  to  stop  over  for  a  meal  or  the  night  at  Domine 
Gebhard's. 

His  former  townsman  had  by  this  time  an  interesting 
family  of  boys  and  girls,  who  found  Mr.  Astor 's  stories 
full  of  delightful  thrills.  His  coming  was  to  them  a 
red-letter  day,  more  entertaining  than  the  most  exciting 
written  tales  of  adventure. 

Such  a  story  as  that  told  by  the  father  of  General 
Wadsworth,  would  find  a  sympathetic  audience  in  this 
household.  Mr.  Wadsworth  once  met  John  Jacob  Astor 
in  the  woods  of  Western  New  York,  with  his  wagon 
broken  down  in  the  midst  of  a  swamp.  His  gold  had 
rolled  away  into  swamp-grass  and  mud,  and  he  had 
just  saved  himself  from  being  swallowed  up  in  the  soft 

76 


Starting  in   Business 


ooze.  He  succeeded  in  reaching  solid  ground  covered 
with  mud,  and  possessed  simply  of  an  axe,  which  he 
had  saved  from  the  wreck  by  continuing  to  hold  it  over 
his  shoulder. 

Such  an  event  never  meant  defeat  to  John  Astor, 
and  he  imbued  his  audience  with  his  own  dauntless  cour- 
age, causing  them  to  rejoice  with  him  over  his  life,  and 
his  one  possession, — the  axe. 

Sometimes  his  stories  were  of  friendly  Indians,  and 
newly-discovered  collections  of  furs,  of  chipping  the 
bark  of  trees  to  mark  his  path  through  unknown  forests, 
of  wonderful  speed  made  in  the  canoes  by  Indian  pad- 
dlers.  Or  he  told  of  salmon  or  wild  bird,  caught  by 
rod  or  gun,  and  cooked  over  an  open  fire  for  men  whose 
appetites  had  the  keen  edge  of  long  tramping  and  post- 
poned food. 

Tales  of  shooting  rapids  in  a  birch  bark  canoe  gave  a 
breathless  thrill  to  his  young  listeners;  but  for  the  fur 
trader  himself,  the  number  and  value  of  the  peltries  he 
had  shipped  to  New  York,  was  the  the  test  of  the  suc- 
cess of  his  journey. 

John  Jacob  Astor 's  broken  English  was  dropped  in 
this  household,  for  the  pure  German  their  old  teacher 
had  taught  both  host  and  guest  in  the  village  school  in 
Waldorf.  Old  times,  well-loved  people  and  objects, 
familiar  incidents  of  the  past,  were  all  talked  over. 

77 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

The  German  Reformed  Church  of  New  York  was  a  sub- 
ject of  mutual  interest,  and  also  came  under  review. 

There  were  always  fellow  countrymen  crossing  the 
great  deep,  and  something  new  to  tell  them  at  each 
meeting.  On  the  Livingston  Manor,  in  a  place  called 
Taghkanic, — where  Domine  Gebhard  preached  four 
times  a  year,  to  a  mixed  audience  of  Dutch  and  Ger- 
man,— he  had  found  families  from  Baden,  near  Heidel- 
berg, like  themselves.  It  was  also  about  this  time,  that 
John  Jacob  Astor  joined  the  German  Society  in  New 
York,  a  society  that  counted  among  its  members,  dur- 
ing this  period  and  later,  Jacob  Schieffelin,  David 
Grim,  John  B.  Dash,  Sr.  and  Jr.,  Jacob  Mark,  and 
many  others  of  the  prominent  men  of  his  own  nation- 
ality in  America,  as  well  as  those  who  were  working 
toward  a  prosperous  future. 

It  was  hardly  a  strange  land  when  one  met  an  old 
neighbor  from  across  the  sea,  on  almost  any  trip  abroad. 
After  all,  they  were  both  Americans,  men  who  had 
thrown  their  loyal  all  in  with  this  new  nation.  Domine 
Gebhard  was  not  only  preaching  in  three  languages  to 
five,  and  sometimes  six  congregations,  but  he  was  also 
establishing  an  educational  institution,  in  Washington 
Seminary,  to  train  the  youth  of  the  young  nation ;  and 
John  Jacob  Astor,  on  his  part,  was  building  up  the 
commerce  of  his  adopted  country. 

78 


Starting  in  Business 


From  stories  of  hairbreadth  escapes  from  wild 
animals,  and  curious  intercourse  with  the  Indians,  in 
which  the  boys  were  interested;  through  old-world  re- 
collections, and  present-day  ardent  patriotism, — which 
subjects  claimed  much  of  the  attention  of  their  elders, — 
there  was  probably  no  more  welcome  climax  for  a 
music-loving  German  guest,  than  the  Domine's  play- 
ing, and  the  melody  of  his  wife's  sweet  voice,  as  she 
sang  from  a  book  of  eight  hundred  pages,  the  songs  of 
the  Fatherland  and  the  hymns  of  John  Jacob  Astor's 
boyhood,  in  his  own  tongue. 


79 


CHAPTER  XII. 
JOHN  JACOB  ASTOR 'S  HOME  AND  FAMILY. 

JOHN  Jacob  Astor 's  start  in  business  lor  himself 
in  Queen  Street,  as  has  been  seen,  was  the 
sequel  to  his  marriage  to  Miss  Sarah  Todd,  the 
daughter  of  Mrs.  Sarah  Todd,  a  short  time  previous. 
Miss  Todd  brought  her  husband  not  only  a  good  social 
connection,  as  a  relative  of  the  Brevoort  family,  and  a 
dowry  of  three  hundred  dollars,  but  also  a  mind  equal 
to  the  intricacies  of  his  advancing  business,  and  a  per- 
ception and  indefatigable  industry,  which  were  a  great 
assistance  to  him  in  its  details.  Mrs.  Astor,  though 
possessed  of  great  amiability,  was  a  decided  character, 
and  was  intensely  interested  in  her  husband's  enter- 
prises. John  Jacob  Astor  said  of  his  wife  at  a  later 
period,  that  she  was  the  most  perfect  judge  of  furs  in 
his  business,  learning  to  know  them  in  the  early  years 
of  her  married  life,  as  he  had  himself,  by  personally 
handling  and  caring  for  them. 

She  had  been  living  in  New  York  during  the  Revolu- 
tionary War,  and  had  known  much  of  this  trying 
period.  She  also  remembered  some  of  the  momentous 

80 


Home  and   Family 


incidents  that  took  place  in  the  birth  of  a  nation. 
Among  these  were  the  withdrawal  of  the  British  garri- 
son, and  General  Washington's  arrival  in  New  York  on 
his  famous  white  charger,  accompanied  by  Governor 
Clinton.  The  Continentals  entered  the  city  with  their 
banners  flying,  and  bands  playing  "Yankee  Doodle," 
triumphant, — though  they  showed  the  ravaging  effects 
of  a  seven  years '  war.  The  line  of  march  was  through  the 
Bowery  and  Pearl  Street,  so  passing  the  Todd  residence, 
but  the  conquering  army  of  the  young  nation  held  too 
large  a  place  in  the  hearts  of  the  loyal  citizens  of  New 
York,  including  the  women  and  children,  for  them  to 
patiently  await  their  coming.  Eagerly,  they  went 
some  distance  out  of  town  to  meet  and  welcome  their 
heroes,  and  a  portion  of  the  Todd  family  was  a  part 
of  this  welcoming  host. 

The  early  domestic  life  of  the  young  couple  was  sim- 
ple, as  befitted  young  people  with  their  way  to  make  in 
the  world.  Their  first  child,  Magdalen  Astor,  and 
their  second  child,  were  probably  born  in  the  Queen 
Street  home,  with  a  grandmother,  as  well  as  a  mother, 
to  surround  them  with  loving  care.  There  were 
burdens  and  trials  of  many  kinds  in  the  home  during 
these  first  years,  and  the  life  of  so  adventurous  a  man 
as  her  husband,  was  likely  to  bring  Mrs.  Astor  many 
anxieties,  as  well  as  days  of  rejoicing  and  elation. 

81 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

Through  them  all  she  proved  a  loyal  and  loving  help 
meet.  The  mother  of  this  family  was  an  earnest  Chris- 
tian woman,  and  reared  her  children  with  reverence 
and  respect  for  religious  ideals.  The  husband  and  wife 
were  as  one  in  these  cardinal  sentiments,  and  their 
marriage  was  a  peculiarly  happy  one. 

One  of  Mr.  Astor 's  earliest  business  advertisements 
appeared  in  the  "New  York  Packet"  under  date  of 
May  22nd,  1786. 

"Jacob  Astor,  No.  81  Queen  Street,  Two  doors  from 
the  Friends'  Meeting  House,  has  just  imported  from 
London  an  elegant  assortment  of  musical  instruments, 
such  as  Piano  Fortes,  spinnets,  guitars;  the  best  of 
violins,  German  Flutes,  clarinets,  hautboys,  fifes;  the 
best  Roman  Violin  strings  and  all  other  kinds  of  strings  ; 
music  books  and  paper,  and  every  other  article  in  the 
musical  line,  which  he  will  dispose  of  on  very  low  terms 
for  cash." 

By  January  10th,  1789,  the  following  advertisement 
still  offered  musical  instruments,  but  the  fur  business 
was  brought  more  prominently  forward. 

"John  Jacob  Astor, 

At  No.  81  Queen  Street, 

Next  door  but  one  to  the  Friends'  Meeting  House, 

Has  for  sale  an  assortment  of 

Piano  Fortes  of  the  Newest  Construction, 

made  by  the  best  makers  in  London,  which 

he  will  sell  at  reasonable  terms. 

He  gives  cash  for  all  kinds  of  Furs 

and  has  for  sale  a  quantity  of  Canada 

Beavers  and  Beavering  coating,  Eaccoon  Skins, 

and  Raccoon  Blankets,  Muskrat  Skins,  etc.,  etc." 

82 


Home  and   Family 


For  several  years  after  this  Mr.  Astor  continued  to 
sell  musical  instruments,  till  at  last,  having  found  the 
fur  business  more  profitable  than  music,  he  turned  his 
musical  instruments  over  to  Michael  Paff,  who  suc- 
ceeded him  hi  this  branch  of  his  business. 

Mr.  Astor 's  business  continued  to  prosper,  he  him- 
self superintending  all  parts  of  it  to  the  minutest 
detail.  One  of  his  mottoes  was :  ' '  If  you  wish  a  thing 
done,  get  some  one  to  do  it  for  you ;  but  if  you  wish  it 
done  well,  do  it  yourself." 

In  1789  Mr.  Astor  made  his  first  purchase  in  real 
estate,  two  lots  on  the  Bowery  Lane,  for  which  he  paid 
"two  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  (about  six  hundred 
and  twenty-five  dollars)  current  money  of  the  State  of 
New  York. ' '  It  was  a  cash  purchase,  and  the  deed  was 
signed,  sealed,  and  delivered  in  the  presence  of  his 
brother  Henry. 

In  less  than  a  year  he  made  a  second  purchase,  this 
time  of  a  dwelling  house  and  lot  on  Little  Dock  Street 
(now  a  part  of  Water  Street).  In  1790  he  appeared  in 
the  city  Directory  as — "Astor,  J.  J.,  Fur  Trader,  40 
Little  Dock  Street." — Already  the  fur  business  was 
taking  precedence  of  the  musical  instruments. 

Though  England  had  agreed  in  the  treaty  in  1783 
to  evacuate  all  the  fortified  places  within  the  boun- 
daries of  the  United  States,  British  garrisons  still  held 

83 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

Detroit,  Mackinaw,  Oswego,  Ogdensburg,  Niagara,  Iron 
Point  and  Dutchman's  Point  on  Lake  Champlain,  keep- 
ing open  the  natural  highways  between  Canada  and  the 
United  States.  The  fur  trade  was  consequently  in  the 
hands  of  the  men  who  had  access  to  these  posts,  and  while 
they  held  the  posts,  John  Jacob  Astor  could  only  carry 
back  to  the  city,  such  furs  as  he  had  secured  by  tramp- 
ing the  Eastern  half  of  the  State  of  New  York,  and  the 
skins,  collected  from  the  friendly  part  of  the  Six 
Nations. 

Even  in  these  narrow  boundaries,  however,  his  busi- 
ness was  growing,  though  both  the  fur  trader  and  Cap- 
tain Cooper,  the  father  of  Peter  Cooper,  who  had  a 
small  hat  factory  in  the  same  street,  and  purchased 
many  a  beaver  skin  from  Astor,  would  have  bought  their 
skins  cheaper,  could  Astor  have  ranged  freely  over  the 
western  country.  Peter  Cooper,  who  was  just  about 
a  head  taller  than  an  ordinary  table  at  this  time,  as- 
sisted in  the  hat-making  by  pulling  the  hairs  out  of 
rabbit  skins. 

Henry  Astor  had  continued  to  prosper.  His  ' '  corner 
on  cattle, ' '  which  greatly  displeased  his  fellow  butchers, 
to  a  certain  degree  controlled  the  New  York  market. 
He  had  a  stall  at  this  time  in  the  Fly  Market,  a  position 
of  considerable  importance  and  pecuniary  advantage. 

John  Jacob  Astor  did  not  always  have  an  easy  time 

84 


Home  and   Family 


in  money  matters,  while  carrying  on  his  business  ven- 
tures. He  often  had  to  pay  Nathaniel  Prime,  in  Wall 
Street,  very  large  interest,  and  "a  large  commission  in 
getting  long  paper  discounted." 

During  his  years  of  striving,  he  often  called  upon 
his  older  brother  for  a  loan  or  an  endorsement.  Henry 
Astor  was  not  fond  of  borrowing,  or  lending  to  anybody. 
On  one  occasion  John  Jacob  needed  two  hundred  dollars 
very  badly,  and  went  to  his  brother  and  asked  him  to 
loan  him  that  sum.  Henry  told  him  he  would  give 
him  one  hundred  dollars,  if  he  would  promise  never 
to  trouble  him  in  that  way  again.  The  younger  brother 
needed  more  money  at  once,  and  was  likely  to  many 
another  time,  and  if  John  Jacob  Astor  made  a  promise, 
he  kept  it.  He  balanced  the  gift  in  his  mind,  with  the 
prospect  of  unwilling  loans,  and  decided  to  take  the  one 
hundred  dollars  and  keep  to  the  agreement. 

During  the  next  three  years,  two  children,  a  girl  and 
a  boy  were  added  to  the  Astor  family,  Eliza  and  Wil- 
liam Backhouse,  both  probably  being  born  in  the  house 
in  Little  Dock  Street.  The  boy  was  named  for  a  promi- 
nent merchant  of  the  city,  who  had  befriended  John 
Jacob  Astor  during  his  early  years  in  America. 

After  this  increase  in  his  family,  in  the  early  nine- 
ties, Mr.  Astor  moved  his  home  and  his  business  to  149 
Broadway.  During  these  years  he  held  the  office  of 

85 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

trustee  in  the  German  Reformed  Church,  and  the  Con- 
sistory met  at  various  times  in  his  house. 


86 


CHAPTER  XIII. 
INDEPENDENCE  DAY  WHILE  IT  WAS  NEW. 

AT  about  this  period  there  came  to  America,  a 
young  Scotchman,  named  Grant  Thorburn, 
who  opened  a  shop  in  Liberty  Street.  A  few 
years  later,  and  for  many  years  after,  John  Jacob  Astor 
was  his  neighbor,  having  moved  his  own  business  to  the 
same  street.  An  interesting  letter,  written  in  Mr. 
Thorburn 's  later  life,  tells  the  story  of  his  first  Fourth 
of  July  in  America,  and  gives  several  other  facts,  which 
suggest  the  type  of  life  and  events,  which  were  familiar 
to  those  who  peopled  the  little  city  of  New  York  in. 
1794. 

By  this  time  the  city  contained  forty  thousand 
inhabitants.  Broadway  began  at  the  Battery  and  ter- 
minated at  the  head  of  Warren  Street.  According  to  an 
old  writer:  " Either  at  church  or  market,  we  saw  each 
other  often  at  that  period.  New  York  was,  in  fact,  a 
city  of  brotherly  love." 

Grant  Thorburn 's  letter  is  dated: 


87 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 


"New  Haven,  6th  June,  1861. 

Fourth  of  July. 

"The  first  one  I  saw  in  New  York  after  I  arrived 
from  Scotland,  the  Fourth  of  July,  1794. 

"I  landed  in  New  York  on  the  16th  of  June,  1794, 
then  in  my  twenty-third  year,  but  being  very  small,  I 
looked  ten  years  younger.  A  wrought  nail-maker  by 
trade,  I  had  my  shop  in  Liberty  Street,  between  Nas- 
sau and  Broadway.  The  school  belonging  to  the  "So- 
ciety of  Friends"  kept  en  the  opposite  side  of  the 
street.  When  the  boys  arrived  before  school  doors  were 
open,  they  assembled  in  my  shop,  which  was  a  large 
frame  building,  and  I  was  the  only  occupant.  Here 
commenced  a  friendship  with  the  sons  of  the  Leggetts, 
the  Foxes,  the  Franklins,  the  Wrights,  the  Willets,  etc., 
which  thirty-five  years  after,  put  eighty  thousand  dol- 
lars in  my  pockets, — but  we'll  describe  the  Fourth  of 
July,  1794. 

"On  the  morning  of  the  Fourth  the  bells  rang  one 
hour  at  sunrise,  and  thirteen  guns  were  fired  on  the 
Battery,  at  the  foot  of  Broadway,  at  eleven  o'clock.  A 
company  of  old  veterans  marched  from  the  Park  to  the 
Battery,  and  fired  another  salute  at  twelve.  They  wore 
the  old  tattered  uniforms  and  pinched  up  cocked  hats, 
which  they  wore  when  fighting  by  the  side  of  Washing- 
ton, at  the  battle  of  Monmouth.  Some  had  lost  a  leg, 
some  an  arm,  and  others  leaned  on  crutches.  In  1801, 
when  Jefferson  became  President,  I  saw  some  of  these 
men  dismissed  from  the  Custom  House  in  New  York; 
their  places  were  filled  by  imported  patriots;  but  such 
is  the  gratitude  of  a  model  Republic. 

"At  three  o'clock  P.  M.  the  Cincinnati  Society  dined 
at  the  Coffee  House,  which  stood  on  the  corner  of  Wall 
and  Water  Streets.  The  Society  was  composed  entirely 
of  Revolutionary  Officers,  and  their  sons.  They  dined 
on  the  first  story.  The  windows  were  opened,  and  a 

88 


Independence   Day 


cannon,  called  a  six-pounder,  fired  a  shot  when  each 
gun-toast  was  drunk. 

"At  four  P.  M.  I  stood  at  the  lower  end  of  the  Fly 
Market,  foot  of  Maiden  Lane;  people  were  stepping 
aboard  a  small  boat,  which  the  oarsmen  said  was  the 
Brooklyn  ferry-boat.  It  held  twelve  passengers,  and  was 
rowed  by  two  men.  After  waiting  fifteen  minutes  for  the 
passengers,  we  started.  A  strong  tide  setting  in  carried 
us  up  as  far  as  Grand  Street.  We  made  Long  Island 
shore  near  the  Wallabout,  then  rowed  down  close  on 
the  Long  Island  shore,  and  landed  in  Brooklyn,  after 
a  passage  of  one-hour  and  ten  minutes. 

"I  stood  for  the  first  time  on  Long  Island.  I  looked 
through  the  four  winds  of  heaven,  standing  on  the 
wharf.  I  was  not  able  to  count  over  twenty  dwellings  in 
all  directions.  About  one  thousand  feet  from  the  wharf 
right  in  the  middle  of  the  road,  stood  an  old  Dutch 
Church.  The  wagons  going  to  Newtown  drove  on  the 
right;  the  wagons  going  to  tne  river,  drove  on  the  left 
of  the  church.  The  church  stood  iiv  the  days  of  Govern- 
or Stuyvesant. 

"I  went  forward  on  the  road  toward  Newtown.  A 
thunder  storm  commenced.  I  took  shelter  in  a  cottage 
by  the  wayside.  After  conversing  half  an  hour  with 
the  inmates,  the  rain  ceased.  On  returning  I  noticed  a 
field  of  Indian  corn  on  the  wayside,  the  leaves  and  tas- 
sels hanging  full  of  large  drops  of  rain;  the  sun  was 
going  down,  which  made  the  raindrops  like  pearls.  It 
was  the  first  time  I  had  seen  corn  in  the  blade.  I 
thought  it  looked  a  field  which  the  Lord  had  blessed. 
We  had  sky  rockets  in  the  Park  at  eight  P.  M.  which 
closed  the  Fourth  of  July,  1794. " 

A  second  young  man  came  to  New  York  in  the  nine- 
ties, though  not  from  the  old  world,  with  whom  John 
Jacob  Astor  was  destined  to  be  closely  associated  in 

89 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

after  years.  John  Robbins,  like  John  Astor,  longed  to 
see  the  world,  and  try  his  hand  at  making  his  fortune. 
One  day  he  was  lucky  enough  to  catch  a  muskrat.  Ho 
skinned  it  and  took  the  skin  with  him  to  Philadelphia, 
bartering  it  for  two  books — one  a  copy  of  Robinson 
Crusoe  and  the  other  a  Bible.  We  have  the  record  that 
the  Bible  was  still  a  treasured  possession  in  his  old  age. 

John  Robbins  had  an  older  brother  Enoch,  who  was 
a  shipping  merchant  in  Old  Slip,  New  York.  His  shipa 
were  not  large,  but  he  loaded  them  with  all  kinds  of 
provisions,  pork,  beef,  onions,  etc.,  and  sent  them  to  the 
West  India  Islands. 

"About  one  hundred  ships  came  into  New  York  in 
those  years,  of  which  forty  were  square-rigged  and 
sixty  sloops.  Boats  were  extensively  used  and  of 
course  were  all  built  here.  The  square-rigged  vessels 
did  not  probably  average  over  one  hundred  and  ten 
tons  each  and  not  over  one  quarter  were  built  and 
owned  in  New  York.  The  largest  vessels  owned  in  New 
York  in  1796  were  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  tons 
burden.  One  of  two  hundred  was  considered  a  large 
ship." 

Soon  after  young  Robbins  reached  New  York,  hia 
brother  Enoch  loaded  the  brig  "Mary"  with  staves  for 
wine  casks,  dried  codfish,  and  other  commodities  to 
make  an  assorted  cargo.  Then  he  dispatched  the  ves- 

90 


Independence  Day 


sel  from  New  York  to  Bilboa,  in  the  Bay  of  Biscay, 
with  his  brother  John  as  supercargo.  The  United 
States  was  at  war  with  France,  and  a  French  privateer 
came  very  near  capturing  the  "Mary,"  in  which  case 
John  Bobbins '  story  would  have  had  a  different  ending. 

It  required  three  months  to  sell  the  cargo  at  Bilboa, 
after  which  the  "Mary"  sailed  to  Lisbon  and  disposed 
of  her  staves,  and  took  on  board,  instead,  a  quantity  of 
gold  and  silver  for  New  York.  The  exporting  of  silver 
was  forbidden  by  the  Portugal  government,  but  John 
Bobbins  had  a  special  belt  made,  and  every  time  he  left 
the  ship,  he  returned  with  a  thousand  Spanish  dollars. 
In  this  way  he  gathered  sixteen  thousand  dollars. 

Then  the  "Mary"  got  under  sail  for  St.  Ubes,  wheru 
she  loaded  with  salt  and  returned  to  New  York,  having 
made  a  most  successful  voyage.  The  salt  sold  for  a 
dollar  a  bushel,  and  John  Robbins  had  also  saved  sever- 
al hundred  dollars. 

Now  that  he  had  a  small  capital,  he  decided  to  give 
up  the  sea,  and  embark  as  a  dry  goods  merchant,  but 
not  until  he  had  learned  the  trade.  Pearl  Street  was 
a  fashionable  shopping  district  in  those  days,  but 
though  John  Bobbins  made  application  at  store  after 
store,  he  failed  to  find  a  position.  At  last  he  reached 
Henry  Laverty's,  where  he  asked  for  a  clerkship,  offer- 
ing to  work  without  salary  in  order  to  learn  the  busi- 


91 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

ness.  Mr.  Laverty  accepted  the  offer,  and  after  this 
the  young  Philadelphian  slept  in  the  store  on  the 
counter,  rising  at  daybreak  to  open  the  shop  and  sweep 
it  out,  after  which  he  arranged  the  dry  goods  in  the 
windows. 

A  clerk  in  those  days  went  through  a  regular 
course  of  learning  the  business.  He  first  delivered 
goods,  keeping  account  of  the  marks  and  the  number  of 
packages.  He  also  received  goods,  again  taking  ac- 
count of  the  marks  and  packages.  A  part  of  his  task 
was  to  copy  letters,  and  when  he  could  do  this  neatly 
and  expeditiously,  he  was  promoted  to  making  dupli- 
cates of  letters  to  go  by  the  packets.  Next  he  copied 
accounts,  after  which  he  was  entrusted  with  the  respon- 
sibility of  making  the  accounts.  A  clerk  who  had  mas 
tered  these  details,  instructed  and  inspected  the  work 
of  later  arrivals.  All  these  duties  were  the  acknowledged 
path  toward  becoming  a  successful  merchant. 

At  night,  John  Bobbins  closed  the  store  and  betook 
himself  to  his  bed  on  the  counter,  having  led  a  most 
active  day.  Meanwhile  he  was  learning  the  qualities 
and  values  of  dry  goods.  When  his  time  was  up,  Mr. 
Laverty  offered  him  first  a  salary,  then  a  partnership, 
but  young  Bobbins  refused  both,  having  fully  decided 
on  going  into  the  business  for  himself.  He  resolved  at 
the  start  not  to  run  into  debt,  so  refused  good  offers 


92 


Independence  Day 


of  credit,  starting  in  a  modest  way  by  carrying  home 
his  own  purchases  from  an  auction.  He  steadily  pros- 
pered in  the  business,  in  which  he  had  so  conscientious- 
ly perfected  himself. 

John  Bobbins'  mother  was  a  capable,  old-fashioned 
Dutch  woman,  who  lived  behind  a  Dutch  door.  With 
the  upper  half  of  her  door  swung  in,  and  leaning  over 
the  lower  half,  she  loved  to  watch  what  was  going  on 
in  the  street.  Besides  her  neighborly  sociability,  she 
was  long  remembered  by  her  son's  friends,  for  her 
culinary  skill — the  flavor  of  her  coffee,  and  the  delect- 
able taste  of  her  pies  and  cake  leaving  a  long  trail 
of  happy  remembrance  behind  them. 


93 


CHAPTER  XIV. 
TRAVERSING  THE  WILDERNESS. 

THE  greatest  event  of  the  year  in  the  fur  trade, 
was  the  trip  to  Montreal,  and  the  subsequent 
journeys  into  the  wilderness.  During  the  ea,rly 
years  in  which  John  Jacob  Astor  carried  on  his  own 
business,  he  made  trips  each  spring  or  summer  to 
Canada,  and  shipped  the  furs  purchased  to  London,  as 
up  to  1794  the  law  still  existed  against  importing  from 
British  possessions. 

His  walks  through  the  forests  of  Lower  Canada, 
New  York,  and  Michigan,  guided  by  coureurs  des  bois, 
were  full  of  novel  experiences  and  exciting  adventure. 
Dash,  energy  and  skill,  characterized  these  wood-run- 
ners, who,  while  they  were  wild,  reckless,  and  daring, 
were  also  familiar  with  the  climate,  wide  tracts  of  coun- 
try, and  the  haunts  of  the  Indians.  These  qualities 
made  them  invaluable  adjuncts  to  John  Jacob  Astor  'a 
projects.  He,  himself,  was  ever  ready  to  follow  where 
they  led. 

They  started  on  their  tramps  with  packs  on  their 
backs,  which  besides  arms  and  ammunition,  were  partly 

94 


Traversing  the  Wilderness 


food  and  partly  goods  to  be  traded  with  the  Indians  for 
skins.  Various  kinds  of  berries  and  small  fruits  were 
to  be  found  in  their  season,  as  well  as  game  in  the  woods 
and  fish  in  the  streams,  but  their  main  object  was 
securing  peltries,  and  the  rough  and  barren  country 
over  which  they  traveled  did  not  always  offer  even  a 
slight  nourishment  for  hungry  traders. 

One  such  traveler  describes  leagues  of  the  journey 
after  this  fashion:  "The  road  of  the  portage  is  truly 
that  of  heaven,  for  it  is  straight,  full  of  obstacles,  slip- 
pery places,  thorns  and  bogs.  The  men  who  pass  it 
loaded,  and  who  are  obliged  to  carry  over  it  bales,  cer- 
tainly deserve  the  name  of  men.  This  villainous  port- 
age is  only  inhabited  by  owls,  because  no  other  animal 
could  find  its  living  there,  and  the  cries  of  these  solitary 
birds  are  enough  to  frighten  an  angel,  and  to  intimidate 
a  Caesar." 

The  packages  carried  weighed  anywhere  from  sixty 
to  ninety  pounds.  In  the  spring  with  these  on  their 
backs,  the  travelers  made  twenty  miles  or  more  a  day 
over  the  rugged  country.  During  these  trips  John 
Jacob  Astor  visited  encampments  on  the  St.  Lawrence 
and  at  Saginaw  Bay,  as  well  as  those  in  the  heart  of 
the  woods.  Surprising  an  Indian  settlement,  or  being 
met  by  outrunning  red  men  with  skins  over  their 
shoulders,  the  trader's  task  was  only  begun. 

95 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

The  Indian  disposition  was  suspicious.  Rival 
traders  had  played  upon  the  fears  and  the  cupidity  of 
these  men  of  primitive  nature,  each  representing  his 
opponents  as  unreliable.  Fire  water  had  often  been 
used  to  excite  them  still  further.  In  their  dealings  with 
the  red  men,  the  traders  were  frequently  called  upon 
to  quell  disorder  by  a  show  of  fierce  anger  or  force,  but 
John  Jacob  Astor 's  tact,  and  uniform  fair  dealing,  as 
well  as  his  entire  avoidance  of  the  use  of  spiritous 
liquors,  caused  his  interchange  of  trade  with  the 
Indians,  to  be  most  uniquely  successful. 

He  exercised  the  utmost  care  in  avoiding  a  separation 
from  his  guides  in  the  great  Northern  forests.  In 
some  instances  of  this  kind,  the  lost  trader  had  not 
been  found  for  many  months,  until  some  hunting  party 
came,  by  chance,  upon  his  wasted  body  in  some  lonely 
shelter,  where,  too  weak  to  go  further,  he  had  lain  down 
to  die.  There  were  others  more  fortunate,  who  had 
strayed  from  their  guides,  but  after  their  ammunition 
gave  out  had  been  able  to  sustain  life  on  frogs  and  roots, 
hawks  and  an  occasional  find  of  nests  of  small  eggs, 
until  they  came  across  a  vacant  wintering  cabin 
of  some  absent  trader,  where  they  eked  out  a  bare  sub- 
sistence until  help  came. 

Such  occurrences  were  not  uncommon,  nor  were  the 
sufferings  alone  those  of  hunger.  Shoes  worn  off  the 


96 


Traversing  the  Wilderness 


feet  by  rough  walking,  made  further  search  for  guides 
or  companions  a  painful  experience.  The  finding  of  a 
pair  of  socks  or  shoes  in  an  empty  cabin,  or  the  mak- 
ing of  moccasins  for  the  lost  hunter  by  some  friendly 
Indian  woman,  were  looked  upon  as  godsends. 

Though  the  purchase  of  a  canoe  in  these  Northern 
#oods  had  been  made  in  return  for  a  knife,  still  there 
were  other  occasions  when  the  red  men  looked  for  pres- 
ents from  the  white  men,  with  a  degree  of  eager  ex- 
pectancy which  amounted  to  a  demand.  Failing  of  the 
gifts  they  desired,  in  many  instances  they  were  ready  to 
steal  and  plunder. 

In  planning  the  miles  to  be  covered  before  nightfall, 
or  ere  they  were  caught  in  the  teeth  of  a  storm,  John 
Jacob  Astor  often  found  their  destination  a  consider- 
able distance  further  on,  for  it  was  the  custom  of 
the  voyaguers  to  count  leagues  by  the  smoking  of  their 
pipes.  One  pipe  was  supposed  to  be  a  league's  length, 
and  the  accustomed  stopping  place  for  a  rest.  In  point 
of  fact,  a  man  pulling  at  a  pipe  usually  found  it  empty 
in  two  miles  instead  of  three. 

Planning,  watching,  circumventing,  bartering  in  such 
a  way  as  would  leave  a  friendly  feeling,  and  an  opening 
for  trade  the  ensuing  year,  John  Jacob  Astor  found 
use  for  all  his  skill  and  finesse.  It  was  this  type  of 
trade  on  a  large  scale  that  gave  the  fur  companies  of 

97 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

the  North  the  name  of  "The  Lords  of  the  Lakes  and  the 
Forests."  Many  of  these  "Lords"  carried  on  homes 
of  rude  splendor,  and  ruled  the  country  round  about, 
in  fact,  if  not  in  name. 

John  Jacob  Astor  discovered  other  "free  traders"  in 
these  remote  woods  and  water-ways  besides  himself. 
There  was  John  Johnson  who  came  from  Ireland  in 
1792,  having  heard  of  the  romantic  life  of  the  fur  trader. 
He  set  out  from  Montreal  and  made  his  way  into  the 
interior,  settling  on  the  South  side  of  Lake  Superior, 
as  an  independent  trader. 

There  is  a  romantic  story  of  his  falling  in  love  with 
the  beautiful  daughter  of  Wagobish,  the  "White 
Fisher,"  whose  domain  extended  to  the  Mississippi. 
The  "White  Fisher"  made  his  sugar  on  the  skirts  of  a 
high  mountain.  There  John  Johnson  first  saw  his 
eldest  daughter,  a  beautiful  girl  of  fourteen,  who  was 
rambling  with  a  cousin  on  the  east  side  of  the  moun- 
tain. At  the  base  of  a  steep  cliff  the  young  girls  found 
a  long  flat  piece  of  yellow  metal,  too  heavy  for  them  to 
lift.  They  decided  it  belonged  to  "The  Gitche  Mani- 
tou,"  "The  Great  Spirit,"  and  left  the  place  hastily 
in  superstitous  awe.  It  was  afterward  suggested  that 
some  Southern  tribe,  which  had  immigrated  to  the 
North,  may  have  built  here  an  altar  dedicated  to  the 
sun,  a  remnant  of  which  the  young  Indian  girls  had 


98 


Traversing  the  Wilderness 


accidentally  discovered  John  Johnson  fell  precip- 
itantly  in  love  with  the  Indian  princess,  whom  he  met 
under  such  unique  circumstances,  and  lost  no  time  in 
asking  her  hand  in  marriage  from  the  chief,  her  father. 
But  " White  Fisher"  was  not  pleased  with  the  mar- 
riages made  after  the  country  fashion,  and  asked  that 
Johnson  return  to  Ireland  for  a  time.  If,  after  a  suf- 
ficient period  of  probation,  the  lover's  affection  T*>- 
mained  the  same,  he  would  give  his  consent  to  their 
marriage. 

John  Johnson  consented  to  the  conditions,  and  going 
back  to  Ireland,  disposed  of  his  property  there,  to  re- 
turn after  the  allotted  time  was  past,  to  the  wilds  of 
America,  where  he  claimed  his  bride.  They  settled  at 
Sault  Sainte  Marie,  where  the  fur  trader  built  a  com- 
fortable home,  which  contained,  among  other  civilized 
furnishings,  a  good  library.  His  grounds  were  laid  out 
in  beautiful  gardens  of  flowers  and  vegetables,  and 
stretching  afar  in  this  boundless  estate,  was  a  wide 
plantation  of  Indian  corn.  In  this  oasis  in  the  wilder- 
ness, John  Johnson  carried  on  the  important  life  of  a 
fur  trader. 

George  and  Charles  Ermatinger,  two  other  inde- 
pendent traders,  sons  of  a  Swiss  merchant  of  Canada, 
both  settled  at  Sault  Sainte  Marie.  They  were  men  of 
great  energy,  courage  and  local  influence.  The  two 

99 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

brothers  had  a  large  fur-trading  establishment  on  the 
south  side  of  the  river,  opposite  the  rapids.  The  two 
families  and  their  children,  their  trading  establishment, 
their  grist  mill,  and  their  stone  mansion,  made  quite  a 
settlement  of  their  own.  But  John  Jacob  Astor 's  ob- 
jective points  were  not  the  settlements,  but  the  forests 
and  the  water-ways. 

His  journeys  through  the  wilderness  in  search  of 
furs  were  full  of  hardships,  hairbreadth  escapes,  and 
the  thrill  of  adventure.  There  fell  to  his  lot  also  great 
wonders  of  nature,  of  which  he  loved  to  speak  in  his 
later  days — the  primitive  forests  into  whose  depths  he 
was  at  times  the  first  white  man  to  penetrate ;  the  quiet 
of  the  evening  broken  by  some  gigantic  tree  of  the 
woods,  falling  with  a  crash  among  the  branches  of 
its  fellows,  moved  by  no  human  hand ;  the  plaintiff  cry 
of  the  loon  in  the  lonely  solitudes;  the  glorious  song 
of  birds  wafting  brilliant  plumage  over  his  head  at  sun- 
rise, or  the  eagle  soaring  against  the  blue  sky. 

The  Indians,  themselves,  in  all  their  glory  of  wilder- 
ness costume,  with  their  peculiar  sign  language,  formed 
no  mean  part  of  the  picturesque,  as  well  as  the  commer- 
cial, in  these  travels.  They  sometimes  entertained  their 
white  employers  by  rare  exhibitions  of  woodlore,  and 
the  fantastic  sights  to  be  obtained  from  nature's  gifts. 


100 


Traversing  the  Wilderness 


They  were  accustomed  to  set  the  fir  trees  on  fire  by 
piling  a  great  number  of  dried  limbs  near  the  trunks. 
When  lighted,  an  almost  instantaneous  blaze  shot  to  the 
very  tops  of  the  tall  trees,  making  a  most  beautiful  and 
brilliant  spectacle  at  night.  The  Indian  reason  for  thia 
illumination  was,  that  it  might  bring  fair  weather  for  a 
journey.  There  was  interest  in  plenty  for  the  fur- 
trader  to  entice  him  on  his  way  toward  his  destination, 
an  eager  watching  for  the  next  marvel  of  nature,  and 
ultimately  the  hope  and  expectation  of  a  good  trade. 

The  final  point  aimed  at  by  the  traders,  voyageurs, 
and  wood-runners,  was  Grand  Portage,  which  ended  on 
a  bay  of  Lake  Superior,  partially  sheltered  by  a  rocky 
island.  Here  there  were  extensive  wharves,  a  fort,  and 
several  trading  posts.  The  portage  was  a  well-made 
road,  nine  or  ten  miles  long,  which  had  been  built  to 
avoid  the  falls  of  Pigeon  River.  John  Jacob  Astor 
was  one  among  the  hundreds  interested  in  the  fur  busi- 
ness, who  made  a  bustling  life  of  this  important  half- 
way meeting  place,  at  certain  seasons  of  the  year. 

The  crowds  came  and  went  in  two  streams.  One 
stream  flowed  in  from  Montreal,  leaving  in  May  and 
returning  in  September,  in  canoes  of  four  tons'  burden, 
each  carrying  eight  or  ten  men.  As  these  voyageurs  trav- 
eled the  least  hazardous  part  of  the  way,  and  lived  on 


101 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

cured  rations,  they  were  called  " Goers  and  Comers7'  or 
" Pork  Eaters." 

The  second  stream  of  men  turned  inland  in  canoes  of 
about  half  the  size  of  those  that  made  the  start  from 
Montreal.  These  latter  were  purchased  from  the  Indi- 
ans. The  fare  of  these  men  was  largely  the  dried  meat 
of  the  buffalo,  known  as  pemmican,  except  as  they 
varied  it  with  game  shot  by  their  own  guns,  or  fish 
from  the  streams. 

These  were  the  daring  coureurs  des  bois.  After 
August  llth,  the  hurry  of  the  season  began.  Wood- 
runners,  carrying  one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds,  por- 
taged their  burdens  over  the  ten-mile  road,  and  were 
often  known  to  make  the  portage  and  return  in  six 
hours,  carrying  goods  of  commerce  or  skins  each  way. 
The  canoes  which  embarked  from  the  north  side  of  the 
portage  for  the  far-off  fur  stations,  were  manned  by 
four  or  five  men,  and  were  loaded  with  two-thirds  goods 
and  one-third  provisions.  Launched  upon  a  small  river, 
they  continued  through  successive  portages,  lakes  and 
rivers,  westward  or  northward. 

John  Jacob  Astor  bought  his  beaver  and  otter  skins 
at  Grand  Portage  from  the  Ked  River  district,  his  mar- 
ten, mink  and  musquash  from  other  sections  far  inland. 
Traders  who  journeyed  themselves  to  these  far-away 
posts  found  much  of  the  primeval  life  of  the  forest,  be- 

102 


Traversing  the  Wilderness 


side  the  peltries  they  sought  from  Indian  collectors. 
Dr.  Coues,  in  editing  the  journel  of  Alexander  Henry, 
Jr.,  a  young  trader  of  the  Northwest,  gives  a  sketch 
of  the  life  of  the  Red  River  section. 

1  'February  28th,  1801.  Wolves  and  crows  are  very 
numerous,  feeding  on  buffalo  carcasses  which  lie  in 
every  direction.  I  shot  two  buffalo  cows,  a  calf,  and  two 
bulls,  and  got  home  after  dark.  I  was  choking  with 
thirst,  having  chased  the  buffalo  on  snow  shoes  in  the 
heat  of  the  day,  when  the  snow  so  adheres  that  one  is 
scarcely  able  to  raise  the  feet.  A  draught  of  water  was  the 
sweetest  beverage  I  had  ever  tasted.  An  Indian  brought 
in  a  calf  of  this  year,  which  he  found  dead.  It  was  well 
grown,  and  must  have  perished  last  night  in  the  snow. 
This  is  extraordinary;  they  say  it  denotes  an  early 
spring. 

"  March  5th.  The  buffaloes  have  for  some  time  been 
wandering  in  every  direction.  My  men  have  raised  and 
put  their  traps  in  order  for  the  spring  hunt,  as  the  rac- 
coons begin  to  come  out  of  their  winter  quarters  in  the 
day  time,  though  they  retire  to  the  hollow  trees  at 
night. 

"On  the  eighth  it  rained  for  four  hours;  fresh  meat 
thawed.  On  the  ninth  we  saw  the  first  spring  bird. 
Bald  eagles  we  have  seen  the  whole  winter,  but  now 
they  are  numerous,  feeding  on  the  buffalo  carcasses." 

Grand  Portage  was  often  spoken  of  as  "the  general 
rendezvous  of  the  fur  traders. ' '  The  fort  was  built  on  a 
grassy  flat  at  the  edge  of  the  bay,  overshadowed  by  a 
rocky  hill  of  great  height,  and  was  four  hundred  by 
five  hundred  feet.  Within,  there  were  dwelling  house*, 


103 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

shops  and  stores,  stables  and  gardens — the  houses  made 
safe  from  hostile  attack  by  rows  of  palisades,  a  foot 
and  a  half  in  diameter,  sunk  three  feet  in  the  earth  and 
rising  to  a  height  of  fifteen  feet  above  ground. 

When  the  fur  merchants  from  Montreal  gathered 
here  each  summer,  with  their  hosts  of  attendants,  they 
entertained  guests  from  the  camps  in  the  wilderness, 
as  well  as  others  from  nearer  districts,  who  remembered 
their  hospitality  through  many  a  day  of  succeeding 
hardships.  "We  were  feasted  on  the  best  of  every- 
thing, and  the  best  of  fish,  and  met  the  gentlemen  from 
Montreal  in  good  fellowship,"  wrote  one  young  winter- 
ing partner,  of  this  hospitable  gathering  place. 

This  was  the  summer  session  of  "the  Lords  of  the 
Lakes  and  the  Forests,"  a  body  of  great  financiers  and 
accomplished  traders,  courageous  and  daring,  yet  tact- 
ful in  their  management  of  the  Indians;  as  a  whole 
treating  them  fairly,  except  through  short  periods  of 
unwise  leadership.  They  were  men  who  ventured  in 
new  lands  and  untried  fields,  and  with  the  venture  won 
a  magnificent  success.  One  of  these  men  who  ventured 
was  John  Jacob  Astor,  independent  trader  in  the  fur 
country. 


104 


CHAPTER  XV. 
BY  CANOE  THROUGH  THE  GREAT  LAKES. 

THROUGH  the  early  years  of  his  life  as  a  fur  mer- 
chant, John  Jacob  Astor  was  his  own  agent  at 
the  frontier  trading  stations,  where  he  made  ar- 
rangements for  the  delivery  of  large  quantities  of  furs. 
These  posts  were  not  always  reached  by  tramping 
through  the  wilderness.  At  least  a  long  stretch  of  the 
journey  was  by  canoe. 

He  traversed  the  Ottawa  and  the  Great  Lakes  with 
Ontario  voyageurs,  who  were  a  hardy  race  of  men,  with 
a  large  share  of  the  romantic  in  their  composition. 
Many  of  them  were  Iroquois  Indians  or  half-breeds, 
though  French-Canadians  also  possessed  great  skill  in 
handling  the  boats. 

The  voyageurs  wore  a  coat  made  of  a  blanket,  leather 
leggings  to  the  knees  of  their  cloth  trousers,  and  moc- 
casins of  deer  skin.  From  their  braided  belts  of  many 
colors  were  suspended  their  knives,  tobacco  pouches, 
and  other  convenient  implements.  Their  language  was 
composed  of  a  mixture  of  French,  English  and  Indian 
phrases. 

105 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

The  voyageurs  of  French  descent  retained  the  gayety 
and  lightness  of  heart  of  their  ancestors,  which  ap- 
peared again  even  in  the  half-breeds.  Mutually  oblig- 
ing and  kindly  disposed,  adventures  and  hardships 
shared  together,  seemed  to  have  accentuated  their 
friendship  for  each  other.  John  Jacob  Astor  found 
the  good  humor  of  these  boatmen  unfailing,  their  pa- 
tience and  courage  011  long,  rough  expeditions  only  sur- 
passed by  their  love  of  the  camp  fire  and  the  full  pot; 
their  dexterity  with  the  paddles  only  exceeded  by  that 
of  the  song  and  dance,  when  Dame  Fortune  threw  the 
faintest  opportunity  for  festivity  in  their  path. 

Their  canoes,  constructed  out  of  carefully  selected, 
thin,  but  tough  sheets  of  birch-bark,  made  water-tight 
along  the  seams  with  pitch,  were  both  light  and  strong, 
though  frail  in  appearance.  The  Indians  called  them 
a  gift  from  the  Great  Spirit,  and  were  proud  of  their 
ability  to  paddle  their  employers  swiftly  and  safely 
through  streams  and  rapids.  A  heavier  type  of  ca- 
noe, capable  of  carrying  four  tons  of  trading  goods,  was 
built  for  the  freight. 

Their  start  on  a  journey  full  of  peril  and  daring 
ventures,  was  considered  a  fateful  day  by  the  voy- 
ageurs. No  less  so  was  it  for  John  Jacob  Astor,  the 
trader.  Even  more  unknown  were  the  rivers,  and  the 
waters  of  the  chaining  lakes,  to  the  great  venturer. 

106 


By  Canoe  Through  the  Great  Lakes 

The  employes  were  tempted  to  drown  their  qualnus 
regarding  adverse  fate,  by  copious  draughts  of  liquor, 
but  this  was  forestalled  by  keeping  them  busy,  and  un- 
aware of  the  exact  hour  of  departure,  till  the  last  mo- 
ment. But  there  is  an  inner  signal  that  strikes  such 
hours,  and  the  women  and  children  and  dogs  knew  it, 
without  being  told.  The  human  side  was  ready  for  a 
sad  farewell,  and  the  dogs  for  a  howling  sympathy. 

The  stout-hearted  voyageurs  did  not  allow  their 
spirits  to  droop  for  long.  The  charm  of  adventure  laid 
hold  of  them,  their  spirits  swung  easily  from  grave  to 
gay,  and  cheers  followed  the  boatloads  that  struck  out 
from  shore  while  at  the  word  of  their  leaders,  the  men 's 
voices  blended  in  a  song  of  good  luck.  The  story  of  the 
1  'Three  Fairy  Ducks"  was  a  favorite,  and  sung  with  a 
lively  chorus: 

"Behind  the  manor  lies  the  mere, 
Three  ducks  bathe  in  its  waters  clear. 

En  roulant,  ma  boule, 
Roule,  roulant,  ma  boule  roulant. 
En  roulant,  ma  boule  roulant, 

En  roulant  ma  boule." 

The  dash  of  the  paddles  voiced  the  excitement  of  the 
crews. 

There  were  various  resting  places  as  the  boats  went 
on  their  way,  but  one  of  the  most  noted  was  the  shrine 


107 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

of  Ste.  Anne,  the  patroness  of  the  Canadian  voyageur. 
Here  he  made  confession,  and  left  such  relics  and  vo- 
tive offerings  as  he  was  able.  Nor  did  it  seem  incon- 
gruous to  him  after  these  deeds  of  devotion,  to  indulge 
in  a  grand  carouse  in  honor  of  the  saint,  and  for  the 
prosperity  of  the  voyage.  Whether  his  gifts  were  much 
or  little,  the  voyageur  never  failed  to  offer  the  melody 
of  his  voice,  the  homage  of  his  heart.  Thomas  Moore, 
moved  by  the  rythm  of  the  voyageur 's  song,  translated 
it  into: 

4  *  Faintly  as  tolls  the  evening  chime, 
Our  voices  keep  tune,  and  our  oars  keep  time,"  , 
With  the  refrain: 

"Row,  brothers,  row;  the  stream  runs  fast, 
The  rapids  are  near,  and  the  daylight's  past." 
The  heavier  canoes  going  to  Grand  Portage  from 
Montreal,  which  was  a  distance  of  eighteen  hundred 
miles,  were  manned  by  eight  or  nine  men  to  each  bark, 
and  could  carry  besides  the  baggage  "sixty-five  pack- 
ages of  trading  goods  of  ninety  pounds  each,  six  hun- 
dred pounds  of  biscuit,  two  hundred  pounds  of  pork, 
three  bushels  of  peas,  two  oil  cloths  to  cover  the  goods, 
a  sail,  an  axe,  a  towing  line,  a  kettle,  a  sponge  to  bail 
out  water,  and  gum  and  bark  to  repair  vessels."  Sunk 
to  within  six  inches  of  the  water,  and  propelled  by 


108 


By  Canoe  Through  the  Great  Lakes 

strong  arms,  they  covered  about  six  miles  an  hour, 
when  weather  conditions  were  favorable. 

John  Jacob  Astor,  in  common  with  the  fur  merchants 
of  Canada,  imported  suitable  goods  for  the  trade  from 
England,  stored,  packed  and  accompanied  them  to  their 
destination  at  the  right  time.  Exchanging  trading 
goods  for  furs,  he  in  turn  packed  these  and  shipped 
them  to  England.  Goods  likely  to  attract  the  Indians, 
and  induce  a  generous  exchange  in  skins,  possessed  a 
character  of  their  own.  "  Coarse  cloth  of  different 
kinds,  milled  blankets,  arms  and  ammunition;  linen 
and  coarse  sheetings;  thread,  lines  and  twine;  common 
hardware;  cutlery  and  ironmongery,  brass  and  copper 
kettles,  silk  and  cotton  handkerchiefs,  hats,  shoes  and 
stockings,  calicoes  and  printed  cottons — and  in  particu- 
lar, blue  beads. ' ' — were  among  these  desirable  articles  of 
trade.  As  the  red  men  never  closed  a  bargain,  unless 
they  considered  they  had  the  advantage,  the  choosing 
of  acceptable  trading  goods  was  very  important. 

As  the  boats  swept  up  the  Ottawa,  though  the  work 
was  hard,  exhiliration  increased  rather  than  dimin- 
ished. One  song  followed  another,  changing  from  rol~ 
licking  to  tender,  and  then  to  one  of  inspirational 
power. 

A  characteristic  love  song  of  the  voyageur's  of  the 


109 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

early  days,  freely  translated  by  Mrs  Henry  Malan,  is 
full  of  the  spirit  of  the  time : 

"With  a  heart  as  wild 

As  a  joyous  child, 
Lived  Rhoda  of  the  mountain; 

Her  only  wish 

To  see'k  the  fish, 
In  the  waters  of  the  fountain. 
Oh,  the  violet,  white  and  blue! 

The  stream  was  deep, 
The  banks  were  steep, 

Down  in  the  flood  fell  she; 
When  there  rode  by, 
Right  gallantly, 

Three  barons  of  high  degree, 
Oh,  the  violet,  white  and  blue! 

'0,  tell  us,  fair  maid/ 
They  each  one  said, 

'Your  reward  to  the  venturing  knight, 
Who  shall  save  your  life, 
From  the  water's  strife, 
By  his  arms'  unflinching  might.' 

Oh,  the  violet,  white  and  blue ! 

'Oh!  haste  to  my  side,' 
The  maiden  replied, 

'Nor  ask  for  a  recompense  now; 


110 


By  Canoe  Through  the  Great  Lakes 


When  safe  on  land, 
Again  I  stand, 

For  such  matters  is  time  enow.' 
Oh,  the  violet,  white  and  blue! 

But  when  all  free 
Upon  the  lea, 

She  found  herself  once  more, 
She  would  not  stay. 
And  sped  away, 

Till  she  reached  her  cottage  door. 
Oh,  the  violet,  white  and  blue! 

Her  casement  by. 
That  maiden  shy, 

Began  so  sweet  to  sing: 
Her  lute  and  voice 
Did  e'en  rejoice, 

Like  early  flowers  of  spring. 
Oh,  tin*  violet,  whito  and  blue! 

'Oh,  my  heart  so  true 
Is  not  for  you. 

Nor  for  any  of  high  degree ; 
I  have  pledged  my  truth. 
To  an  honest  youth, 

With  a  beard  so  comely  to  see.' 
Oh,  the  violet,  white  and  blue!" 

A  beard  was  evidently  a  sign  and  seal  of  the  dash- 
ing and  brave,  and  withal,  romantic  voyageur  lover. 

Ill 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

As  a  portage  was  reached,  the  man  in  the  bow 
jumped  quickly  into  the  water,  to  prevent  the  canop 
from  grating  on  the  bottom.  Lifting  it  to  their  strong 
shoulders,  the  bowman  and  steersman  carried  it  to 
shore,  while  the  middle  men  tied  their  slings  to  the 
packages,  and  swung  them  on  their  backs  to  bear  over 
the  portage.  Each  act  was  full  of  enthusiasm,  and  per- 
formed with  the  quick  deftness  of  accustomed  labor. 

The  trees  were  often  blazed  to  show  the  exact  spot 
where  portage  commenced.  A  day's  journey  might  in- 
clude the  climbing  of  high  mountains,  and  the  piercing 
of  dense  forests,  making  the  hard  trail  at  times  with 
so  little  food  in  their  stomachs,  that  they  were  con- 
stantly hungry. 

Occasionally  the  carrying  paths  were  shorter,  and 
led  around  waterfalls  and  impassable  rapids,  or  skirted 
torrents  arid  precipices.  The  portages  were  so  fraught 
with  peril  that  they  frequently  became  burying 
grounds.  Sometimes  priests,  who  had  traveled  the 
same  hard  paths  with  a  chapel  on  their  backs,  instead 
of  goods  of  commerce,  had  erected  an  altar  beside  the 
way.  The  birch  trees,  where  the  portage  struck  the 
streams,  were  stripped  of  their  bark,  for  here  the  ca- 
noes were  mended. 

These  canoe  trails  bore  many  names,  among  them  a 
few  that  bespoke  the  glory,  as  well  as  the  hardships  of 

112 


PORTAGE 


UNLOADING 
By  permission  of  Sampson  Low,  Marston  and  Company 


By  Canoe  Through  the  Great  Lakes 

the  passage,  "the  portage  des  Roses,"  where  the  wild 
roses  grew;  "the  portage  de  la  Musique,"  where  some 
rippling  stream  sung  as  it  danced  along,  were  among 
the  former.  One  of  the  well-known  paths  from  Mon- 
treal skirted  an  oak  grove,  and  led  across  a  flooded 
meadow.  Father  Dablon,  who  traveled  it  in  common 
with  the  voyageurs,  said  "the  path  led  through  para- 
dise, but  was  as  hard  as  the  road  to  heaven." 

When  the  weather  was  calm  and  serene,  and  the  pad 
dies  dipped  in  exact  time  to  the  voyageur's  melodious 
strains,  John  Jacob  Astor  found  his  journey  in  search 
of  furs  full  of  pleasureable  sensations,  followed  by  thrill- 
ing exercises  of  mind  which  were  the  traders'  portion, 
as  they  ran  the  rapids,  either  with  boats  lightened  ac- 
cording to  the  depth  of  the  water — while  part  of  the 
goods  went  by  land — or  when  they  took  the  risk  and 
ran  down  the  whole  load. 

There  were  places  of  great  danger  on  the  Upper  Ot- 
tawa River.  Dr.  Bigsby,  an  early  traveler  in  this  sec- 
tion of  the  country,  tells  of  a  ravine  or  chasm  in  which 
the  Ottawa  ran,  which  "is  so  narrow  and  deep  that  the 
sun  rises  very  high  before  it  shines  on  the  water,  and 
hardly  at  all  in  winter. ' '  He  continues :  *  *  Many  rapids 
occur,  but  the  most  serious  is  that  of  Brisson.  It  is  very 
swift  and  turbulent.  As  our  canoe  turned  round  and 
round  in  it,  in  spite  of  all  our  men  could  do,  the  sight 

113 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

of  thirteen  wooden  crosses  lining  the  shore,  in  memory 
of  as  many  watery  deaths,  conveyed  no  comfort  to  my 
mind." 

"Deep  River"  and  the  "Narrows  of  Hell  Gate," 
came  in  for  somber  stories,  and  superstitious  awe  and 
dread.  Running  rapids,  injuring  and  mending  canoes, 
building  camp  fires,  distributing  provisions,  quieting 
discontent,  holding  the  enthusiasm  until  success  was 
won,  were  all  a  part  of  John  Jacob  Astor 's  experiences 
on  these  long  and  hazardous  trips. 

Camp  fire  stories  were  full  of  actual  tragedies  as  well 
as  superstition.  Sometimes  a  voyageur  pointed  out  the 
exact  spot  where  a  fur  trader  had  been  swept  to  his 
death  by  a  fierce  eddy.  One  tale  of  danger  and  death 
was  matched  by  another,  and  these  stories  told  on  the 
edge  of  a  dense  forest  usually  culminated  in  actual 
ghost  stories,  particularly  that  of  Wendigo,  a  spirit 
who  had  been  condemned  to  wander  over  forest  and 
stream  because  of  crimes  committed,  who  occasionally 
took  on  the  form  of  an  outcast,  and  sought  for  human 
food  among  the  trader's  party.  With  such  supersti 
tion  deeply  seated,  each  day's  journey  was  sure  to 
close  at  sunset,  lest  unluckily,  the  crew  be  met  by  this 
sinister  apparition. 

John  Jacob  Astor  was  forewarned  in  somber  detail 
of  the  danger  of  rapids,  whirlpools,  and  deceptive  cur- 

114 


By  Canoe  Through  the  Great  Lakes 

rents  along  the  Ottawa,  and  the  more  mysterious  dan- 
gers that  haunted  the  shadowy  woods.  Yet  the  heart  of 
the  forest  had  its  pleasant  surprises,  as  well  as  fear- 
some stories.  Dr.  Bigsby  was  surprised  one  day  to 
meet  along  a  rocky  portage,  a  young  lady,  a  genuine 
nymph  of  the  forest,  with  no  hint  of  disaster  about 
her.  He  tells  of  the  unexpected  meeting  in  an  interest- 
ing way: 

1 1 1  had  a  great  surprise  at  the  portage  Talon.  Picking 
my  steps  carefully,  as  I  passed  over  the  rugged  ground, 
laden  with  things  personal  and  culinary,  I  suddenly 
stumbled  upon  a  pleasing  young  lady,  sitting  alone 
under  a  bush  in  a  green  riding  habit,  and  white  beaver 
bonnet.  Transfixed  with  a  sight  so  out  of  place  in  the 
land  of  the  eagle  and  cataract,  I  seriously  thought  it 
was  a  vision  of: 

'One  of  those  fairy  shepherds  and  shepherdesses, 
Who  hereabout  live  on  simplicity  and  water  cresses.' 

"Having  paid  my  respects  with  some  confusion,  (and 
very  much  amazed  she  seemed),  I  learned  from  her 
that  she  was  the  daughter  of  an  esteemed  Indian  trader, 
Mr  Ermatinger,  on  the  way  to  the  Palls  of  St.  Mary 
with  her  father,  and  who  was  then  with  his  people,  at 
the  other  end  of  the  portage;  and  so  it  turned  out.  A 
fortnight  afterward  I  partook  of  the  cordialities  of  her 
home,  and  bear  willing  witness  to  the  excellence  of  her 
tea,  and  the  pleasantness  of  the  evening." 

John  Jacob  Astor  traveled  hundreds  of  miles  by  ca- 
noe and  portage  in  these  journeys — trips  that  involved 
great  daring  and  supreme  hardships — between  his 
start  at  Montreal,  and  his  arrival  at  the  copper  rocks 

115 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

of  Lake  Superior.  He  worked  with  his  men  in  the  re- 
moval of  bales  of  goods,  before  the  canoes  were  taken 
over  the  rapids;  his  practiced  eye  pierced  the  depth  of 
the  water,  as  the  boats  were  lightened  to  exactly  the 
right  weight  to  avoid  the  rocks  beneath  the  surging 
waves.  Yet  paddling  against  cold  head-winds,  a  boat 
would  sometimes  strike  a  stone,  and  nearly  upset,  or 
tear  a  dangerous  square  from  her  bottom.  In  these 
cases,  men  and  goods  were  all  in  danger  of  sinking  be- 
neath the  waters  before  they  reached  shore,  when  only 
the  energy  and  skill  of  the  French  voyageurs  and  In- 
dian half-breeds  saved  goods  and  provisions  before  the 
boat  sank. 

These  were  journeys  full  of  tense  courage  and  hair- 
breadth escapes,  of  muscles  strained  tto  the  utmost  over 
successive  portages,  or  one  of  unusual  length.  What 
wonder  that  the  songs  in  the  quiet  waters  smoothed  the 
way,  and  heartened  the  voyageurs  for  the  next  hard- 
ship! 

That  John  Jacob  Astor  accomplished  the  feat  of 
shooting  the  dashing  rapids  of  the  St.  Mary's  River  in 
a  birch-bark  canoe,  with  a  couple  of  Indians,  would 
suggest  that  pure  love  of  adventure  sometimes  stirred 
the  great  merchant's  heart,  and  fired  his  brain. 

Skirting  the  north  shore  of  Superior  was  part  of 
these  canoe  journeys,  and  though  near  their  destina- 

116 


By  Canoe  Through  the  Great  Lakes 

tion,  danger  attended  them  to  the  close.  There  were 
trading  posts  along  the  shores,  where  the  fur  trade  was 
at  its  height,  but  the  waters  of  the  lake  were  deep  and 
cold,  and  often  stirred  by  angry  winds,  while  its  rocky 
banks  offered  fresh  risks. 

Most  carefully  the  voyageurs  picked  their  way  along, 
knowing  well  that  a  man  who  fell  into  the  icy  lake  was 
seldom  rescued,  and  a  boat  split  open  on  the  jagged 
rocks  beneath  the  water,  meant  loss  and  death. 

Lake  Superior  had  its  weird  legends,  too,  of  Inini- 
Wudjoo,  a  great  giant,  and  of  the  hungry  heron  who 
devoured  the  unwary. 

Grand  Portage  was  the  goal  of  the  Montreal  voy- 
ageurs till  the  end  of  the  century.  Here  great  encamp- 
ments were  made  on  the  grassy  slope  around  the  wall*; 
of  the  fort,  and  the  surrounding  water  was  alive  with 
canoes.  Here  the  east  and  west  met — the  couriers  of  the 
wild  western  woods,  and  the  courageous  boatmen  of 
the  east.  Adventure  was  in  the  air.  There  were*  tales 
of  separation  and  meeting;  narration  of  weeks  of  hard- 
ship and  daring  encounters  with  wild  animals;  of  hun- 
ger, and  of  the  full  kettle  over  the  camp  fire.  But  most 
of  all,  vast  packs  of  peltries  changed  hands,  and  hun- 
dreds of  laboring  men  were  engaged  in  making  and 
pressing  bales  of  furs,  while  the  clerks  of  the  fur  com- 
panies were  occupied  in  marking  them. 

117 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

We  have  no  evidence  that  John  Jacob  Astor  was  at 
Grand  Portage  on  July  4th,  1800,  but  Daniel  Harmon, 
a  young  New  Englander,  a  clerk  of  the  Northwest  Com- 
pany, gives  a  spirited  account  of  events  there  on  Inde- 
pendence Day,  similar  to  those  other  traders  must  have 
seen  during  their  own  visits  to  the  fort.  Harmon  says: 

"In  the  daytime  the  natives  were  permitted  to  dance  in 
the  fort,  and  the  Company  made  them  a  present  of 
sixty  gallons  of  shrub.  In  the  evening  the  gentlemen  of 
the  place  dressed,  and  we  had  a  famous  ball  in  the 
dining  room.  For  music  we  had  the  bagpipe,  the  violin 
and  the  flute,  which  added  much  to  the  interest  of  the 
occasion.  At  the  ball,  there  were  a  number  of  the  ladies 
of  the  country,  and  I  was  surprised  to  find  that  they 
could  conduct  themselves  with  so  much  propriety,  and 
dance  so  well." 

While  the  voyageurs  and  wood-runners  loaded  and 
unloaded,  they  feasted  and  contended;  the  air  was  rife 
alternately  with  disputes  and  jocularity.  John  Jacob 
Astor  and  his  fellow  traders  carried  heavy  responsi- 
bility amid  the  general  feasting  and  sociability.  For 
them  it  was  not  only  a  venture  of  wind  and  tide,  of 
fierce  rapid  and  tedious  portage,  but  a  venture  in 
skins  and  peltries,  whose  number,  selection  and  price, 
whose  suitable  handling  and  packing,  and  safe  convoy 
back  over  the  hazardous  route,  was  to  mark  the  measure 
of  their  success  in  the  fur  business. 


118 


CHAPTER  XVI. 
EXTENDING  THE  FUR  TRADE. 

THE  early  part  of  John  Jacob  Astor's  life  was  a 
struggle,  in  which  anxiety  and  disappointment 
often  played  a  prominent  part,  yet  he  was  never 
conquered  by  discouragement.     Each  failure  impelled 
him  to  more  active  self-improvement,  to  a  more  compre- 
hensive study  of  the  world.  He  was  most  assidious  in 
his  pursuit  of  commercial  knowledge,  and  never  tired 
of  enquiring  about  the  markets  of  Europe  and  Asia, 
the  ruling  prices,  the  goods  to  be  bought,  and  the  stand- 
ing of  business  houses. 

Ae»  he  journeyed  through  the  woods  of  the  distant 
frontiers,  in  his  search  for  furs,  he  had  discovered 
where  he  might  establish  fur  stations  to  advantage, 
along  the  borders  of  Canada  and  in  the  region  of  the 
Great  Lakes;  and  later  employed  a  host  of  trappers, 
collectors  and  agents.  He  organized  routes  for  his  men 
on  Long  Island;  in  New  York  State  along  the  present 
line  of  the  Erie  Railroad;  through  New  Jersey  and 
Northern  Pennsylvania;  from  Albany  to  Buffalo;  and 
up  the  Hudson  to  Lake  Champlain,  and  on  to  Montreal. 

119 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

A  remarkable  fact  about  these  trails  of  the  fur  trader 
was,  that  nearly  all  were  along  the  lines  of  future  rail- 
ways, which  terminate  in  New  York  to-day. 

Between  1790  and  1800,  Mr.  Astor  'a  business  devel- 
oped with  remarkable  rapidity.  New  York  continued  to 
be  his  headquarters,  where  the  great  fur  merchant  him- 
self rose  early,  lived  plainly,  and  was  indefatigable  in 
his  activity.  His  habits  were  methodical,  and  he  con- 
stantly added  to  his  knowledge  of  finances  on  a  large 
scale,  while  he  mastered  the  minutest  details  of  his 
business. 

That  John  Jacob  Astor  was  as  keen  a  judge  of  men  as 
of  skins,  added  a  large  factor  to  his  success,  and  caused 
the  men  in  his  employ,  both  in  the  counting  room  and  in 
the  fur  country,  to  render  him  the  best  service  of  which 
they  were  capable. 

Before  the  close  of  the  century  his  interests  reached 
to  the  Mississippi,  then  the  limit  of  settlement  in  the 
United  States.  He  had  ceased  to  send  his  furs  to  Eng- 
land in  other  men's  vessels.  Beginning  by  chartering  a 
ship,  with  his  brother-in-law,  Captain  William  Whet- 
tan  in  command,  his  cargo  was  sold  at  a  large  profit, 
and  the  vessel  returned  laden  with  Astor  and  Broad- 
wood  musical  instruments,  and  goods  to  be  used  in  the 
fur  trade.  Soon  he  was  able  to  buy  a  ship  of  his  own. 


120 


Extending  the  Fur  Trade 


and  his  ships  multiplied  until  he  had  a  fleet  of  a  dozen 
vessels  afloat. 

One  of  Mr.  Astor's  clerks  was  William  W.  Todd,  a 
nephew  of  his  wife's.  He  entered  the  Astor  office  as  a 
clerk  when  a  boy,  and  continued  in  Mr.  Astor's  employ 
for  several  years.  Cornelius  Heeney  was  a  clerk  with 
Mr.  Astor  at  the  same  time,  and  William  Roberts  at  a 
later  date.  When  young  Todd  was  sixteen,  Mr.  Astor 
sent  him  to  Canada  to  buy  furs.  It  was  a  journey  of 
three  or  four  weeks  to  Montreal.  Seven  days  were 
spent  on  a  sloop  making  the  trip  up  the  Hudson  to  Al- 
bany, then  four  more  in  an  open  wagon  to  Whitehall. 
Here  he  was  blocked  by  a  snow  storm  for  nine  days. 
After  this  he  walked  about  fifty  miles,  at  the  rate  of 
twelve  miles  a  day.  Young  Todd  enjoyed  his  trip  up 
the  Hudson  and  on  to  Lake  Champlain,  although  of  a 
strenuous  nature,  as  much  as  Mr.  Astor  had  at  an 
earlier  period.  There  was  the  zest  of  adventure  about 
this  form  of  traveling,  which  any  live  boy  would  have 
enjoyed. 

But  these  trips  were  not  a  summer  holiday,  and  the 
young  man  became  rich  in  practical  experience,  when 
he  found  himself  wrecked  on  Lake  Cliamplain.  Per- 
haps the  catastrophe,  though  not  fatal,  left  its  mark 
upon  him,  for  his  succeeding  journey  on  foot  through 
the  wintry  forests  so  exhausted  him,  that  while  crossing 


121 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

the  St.  Lawrence  on  the  ice,  he  sank  down  numbed  with 
cold,  and  was  unable  to  proceed  further. 

At  first  he  was  not  missed,  and  would  undoubtedly 
have  perished,  had  not  a  companion  discovered  his  ab- 
sence. Turning  back  over  the  icy  trail,  they  found  the 
young  man  unable  to  walk,  and  carried  him  across  to 
the  other  shore.  Mr.  Astor  had  given  his  nephew  let- 
ters to  the  priests  in  a  college  in  Montreal.  Here  he 
remained,  studying  French  for  six  months,  at  the  end 
of  which  time  he  wrote  his  uncle  that  he  was  tired  of 
Canada,  and  obtained  permission  to  return  home. 

It  was  not  an  idle  season  the  lad  had  spent,  aside 
from  his  studies;  for  the  young  clerk  made  constant 
trips  alone  to  neighboring  Indian  villages,  buying  up 
all  the  skins  they  had  on  hand — northern  beaver,  rac- 
coon, marten  and  deer  skins,  both  Indian-dressed  and 
in  the  hair.  One  trip  took  him  to  the  villages  by  the 
Lake  of  Two  Mountains,  where  he  bought  up  all  the 
marten  skins  to  be  gotten.  Prom  this  excursion  he  baled 
up  about  five  hundred  peltries,  and  the  journey  which 
began  so  disasterously,  was  turned  into  a  marked  suc- 
cess. 

A  clerk  in  Mr.  Astor 's  employ  had  various  occupa- 
tions. Young  Todd,  when  back  in  New  York,  was  one 
day  sent  down  to  Tammany  Hall  to  sell  bucktails.  Mem- 
bers of  the  Tammany  Society  were  in  the  habit  of 

122 


Extending  the  Fur  Trade 


wearing  the  tale  of  the  deer  in  their  hats,  on  certain  fes 
tive  occasions,  which  gave  them  and  their  supporters 
in  New  York  State  the  name  of  the  "Bucktail  Party." 

Another  clerk  of  Mr.  Astor's  was  sent  to  Communi- 
paw  on  an  equally  interesting  errand.  This  time  it  was 
not  to  sell,  but  to  buy  wampum  from  the  Dutch  "by  the 
bushel,"  to  be  used  in  purchasing  skins  from  distant 
Indian  tribes. 

A  string  of  wampum  six  feet  long  was  worth  four 
guilders  (one  dallar  and  a  half.)  Six  feet  was  as  much 
as  a  man  could  reach  with  his  arms  outstretched.  A 
bit  of  Indian  shrewdness  in  selling  wampum,  was  to 
select  their  largest  and  tallest  man  for  a  measuring 
stick. 

The  Dutch  were  in  the  habit  of  purchasing  wampum, 
since  it  was  exchangeable  currency  between  them  and 
the  Indians,  and  on  Sunday  the  collecting  bags  attached 
to  long  poles,  gathered  a  full  harvest  of  these  Indian 
shcrkles. 

Some  of  the  Indians  on  Long  Island  made  a  business 
of  forming  the  sea  shells  into  Indian  money  and  orna- 
ments, calling  this  Indian  mint,  "The  Land  of  Shell." 
The  larger  part  of  this  currency  was  made  from  peri- 
winkles and  clams,  or  the  inside  of  oyster  shells.  The 
shells  were  rounded  into  proper  shape,  and  became  the 
paper  money  of  the  Indians.  All  fur  traders  provided 

123 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

themselves  with  wampum,  before  they  undertook  to 
trade  with  the  red  men  for  skins.  The  current  value  of 
the  round  shells,  used  in  this  way,  was  six  beads  of 
white,  or  three  heads  of  black  wampum,  for  an  English 
penny. 

The  furs  collected  by  Mr.  Astor 's  agents  were  shipped 
to  England.  On  the  return  voyage  the  ships  brought 
over  English  merchandise,  on  both  of  which  cargoes 
he  made  large  profits.  In  spite  of  an  ample  business 
success,  Mr.  Astor 's  home  remained  unostentatious.  It 
was  not  until  1800,  when  he  was  said  to  be  worth  a 
quarter  of  a  million,  that  he  gave  himself  the  luxury 
of  a  home  apart  from  his  business. 

In  the  years  immediately  following  the  turn  of  the 
century,  his  store  was  at  71  Liberty  street,  and  his 
house  at  223  Broadway,  on  the  site  of  the  old  Astor 
House.  Here  he  continued  to  live  for  a  quarter  of  a 
century.  Increased  wealth  did  not  produce  increased 
self-indulgence.  Mr.  Astor 's  pleasures  were  simple.  He 
enjoyed  a  pipe,  a  glass  of  beer,  and  a  game  of  checkers. 

The  simplicity  of  his  life  allowed  him  to  glide  into 
a  millionaire,  without  the  knowledge  of  those  about 
him.  "A  story  he  enjoyed  telling  was  that  of  a  young 
bank  clerk,  who  questioned  one  day  the  sufficiency  of 
his  name  on  a  piece  of  mercantile  paper.  Mr.  Astor 
asked  him  how  much  he  thought  he  was  worth. 

124 


Extending  the  Fur  Trade 


' '  Evidently  the  clerk  felt  his  own  importance,  and  was 
ready  with  an  answer  that  fully  betrayed  his  igno- 
rance of  the  financial  status  of  the  man  before  him.  Mr 
Astor  then  drew  him  on  to  give  an  estimate  of  how 
much  several  other  well-known  merchants  were  worth, 
and  the  young  man  replied,  gauging  each  in  turn  ac- 
cording to  his  style  of  living. 

"  'Well/  said  Mr.  Astor,  'I  will  not  name  any  fig- 
ure, but  I  am  worth  more  than  any  sum  you  have  men- 
tioned/ 

"  'Then,'  returned  the  clerk,  glibly,  'you  are  a 
greater  fool  than  I  took  you  for,  to  work  hard  as  you 
do/  " 

This  answer  sent  the  fur  merchant  away  chuckling, 
for  he  always  enjoyed  a  joke.  "He  had  great  contempt 
for  the  style  of  living  which  used  up  the  incomes  of 
prosperous  years,  without  regard  to  inevitable  times  of 
commercial  collapse.  He  had  also  a  strong  disapproval 
of  illegitimate  speculation,  especially  gambling  in 
stocks. " 

In  the  later  nineties  Mr.  Astor  still  arose  early,  as 
his  custom  continued  to  be  through  life;  but  in  spite 
of  a  vast  and  most  varied  business,  whose  details  were 
all  held  in  his  capable  hands  and  masterful  brain,  he 
often  left  his  office  in  the  middle  of  the  afternoon,  and 
after  an  early  dinner,  mounted  his  horse  and  rode  over 

125 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

the  island,  resting  nerves  and  brain  while  lie  breathed 
in  the  salt  breezes  from  the  bay,  or  the  fresh  country 
air  of  the  roads  leading  out  of  the  city. 

It  was  John  Jacob  Astor's  own  feet  which  led  him  to 
the  fur  country,  discounting  hundreds  of  miles  in  the 
search  after,  and  the  purchase  of  furs;  but  it  was  his 
good  horse  that  carried  him  over  Manhattan,  and 
started  him  on  the  road  to  an  ownership  in  land,  equal 
to  any  of  the  manors  granted  to  American  settlers  by 
foreign  Crowns. 

Mr.  Astor  was  an  enthusiastic  Mason,  and  belonged 
to  Holland  Lodge  No.  8.  In  1798,  we  have  the  record 
that  he  was  a  Master  Mason.  In  1801,  he  became  grand 
treasurer  of  the  Knight  Templar  Encampment,  and  was 
Sir  John  Astor. 

The  secretary  of  the  Trustees  of  the  German  Re- 
formed Church  still  continued  to  record,  in  1803,  that 
"Consistory  met  with  John  Jacob  Astor  in  his  Broad- 
way home." 


126 


CHAPTEE  XVII. 
THE  EAST  INDIA  PASS  NO.  68. 

JEFFERSON'S  administration  held  out  a  welcom- 
ing hand  to  all  the  world.  The  world,  in  return, 
accepted   the    invitation,    bringing   with    it,    con- 
sciously or  unconsciously,  tLe  material  for  the  making 
of  an  empire.  Ardent  hope,  strong  resolution,  unlimited 
perseverence,  many  times    wealth     and    power,     were 
thrown  with  generous  hand  into  the  brew-pot  of  a  ii«-\v 
nation. 

A  willingness  to  venture  was  an  important  quality 
in  those  whom  the  eastern  hemisphere  sent  to  the  west- 
ern. On  Jefferson 's  Inauguration  Day,  a  man  who  had 
seen  the  Great  Lakes  was  far-traveled.  When  Jefferson 
retired  in  1809,  John  Jacob  Astor  was  planning  his 
expedition  to  the  Pacific  coast  by  land  and  water.  Such 
far-reaching  enterprise  was  a  great  stimulant  toward 
settling  the  western  half  of  the  continent,  and  develop- 
ing the  nation's  resources. 

The  year  1800  saw  celebrated  ventures  in  the  Chinese 
and  Eastern  trade.  It  was  at  this  time  that  Mr.  Astor 
sent  his  first  ship  to  Canton.  But  previous  to  this  event, 

127 


The   Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

there  is  a  story  told  of  how  his  path  across  the  ocean 
was  made  plain,  which  reads  like  a  fairy  tale. 

Mr.  Astor  was  once  asked  by  a  business  acquaintance 
what  special  transaction,  or  particularly  fortunate  hit, 
gave  him  his  start  as  a  financier.  The  great  capitalist 
never  claimed  superior  sagacity  or  intelligence  over  his 
fellows,  and  replied  with  his  story  of  small  beginnings, 
which  led  to  large  results. 

Some  years  previous  to  the  end  of  the  century,  he  had 
accumulated  a  large  quantity  of  fine  furs,  unsalable  in 
the  American  market.  All  the  common  furs,  muskrat, 
mink,  rabbit,  squirrel,  etc.,  which  he  and  his  agents  had 
gathered,  he  had  no  trouble  in  disposing  of  in  the  city 
at  good  prices.  But  the  more  expensive  skins,  which  had 
been  bought  with  the  rest,  were  unsalable  in  any  large 
quantity  in  New  York,  and  he  had  packed  them  away 
in  casks  in  his  cellar. 

At  this  time  he  had  no  business  agent  in  London  to 
send  them  to,  and  did  not  want  to  ship  them  at  a  risk. 
He  talked  the  matter  over  with  his  wife,  and  together 
they  decided  it  would  be  best  for  him  to  sail  for  Eng- 
land himself,  with  his  special  lot  of  furs,  and  act  as 
his  own  agent  in  selling  them.  The  result  of  the  trip 
was  uncertain,  and  to  economize  as  much  as  possible, 
he  made  the  journey  as  a  steerage  passenger. 


128 


The  East  India  Pass 


London,  however,  proved  a  good  market  for  his 
choice  furs,  and  he  disposed  of  them  at  a  high  price. 
He  then  set  himself  to  purchase  a  return  cargo  of  trad- 
ing goods,  which  would  be  desirable  in  the  eyes  of  the  In- 
dians and  hunters,  and  such  other  merchandise  as 
would  insure  a  profit  in  the  New  York  market. 

After  making  preparations  for  shipping  his  goods  by 
a  vessel  bound  for  New  York,  he  found  that  his  ship 
was  not  ready  to  start,  and  he  was  likely  to  be  detained 
a  couple  of  weeks.  He  devoted  his  unexpected  leisure 
to  looking  about  London,  and  picking  up  all  the  informa- 
tion possible,  especially  whatever  would  be  of  advantage 
to  him  in  his  own  line  of  business. 

One  of  the  most  important  places  he  visited  was  the 
great  East  India  House.  The  offices  and  warehouses 
both  possessed  a  special  charm  for  him.  As  usual,  he 
asked  questions  of  any  one  about  the  place,  who  was 
willing  to  answer.  One  day  he  asked  one  of  the  porters 
what  the  name  of  the  Governor  was.  In  repty  the  man 
gave  a  German  name  very  familiar  to  Mr.  Astor. 

''Is  the  Governor  an  Englishman?"  enquired  John 
Jacob  Astor,  incredulously. 

"He  came  from  Germany  when  he  was  a  boy,"  re- 
plied the  porter. 

This  was  enough  for  the  German-American.  He  re- 
solved to  meet  his  fellow-countryman,  and  watching 

129 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

for  a  favorable  opportunity,  sent  in  his  name.  By  good 
fortune  he  was  admitted  to  the  great  man's  presence, 
and  lost  no  time  in  recalling  the  past  to  the  Governor's 
memory. 

11  Isn't  your  name  Wilhelm  -  ?"  the  fur  dealer 

asked.  " Didn't  you  go  to  school  in  such  a  town?" 

"I  did,  and  now  I  remember  you  very  well.  Your 
name  is  Astor,"  the  Governor  replied. 

After  this  they  had  a  cordial  talk  over  old  school 
matters,  and  boyhood  days,  ending  with  an  invitation 
for  Mr.  Astor  to  dine  with  the  acquaintance  of  his 
youth.  The  invitation  was  declined  for  the  time,  but 
the  following  day  the  two  men  met  again.  In  the  course 
of  conversation  the  Governor  enquired  of  Mr.  Astor 
whether  there  was  not  something  he  could  do  to  aid 
him,  but  the  American  fur  dealer  replied  that  he  had 
already  sold  his  skins,  and  bought  his  return  cargo. 
Neither  did  he  need  cash  or  credit,  so  he  gratefully  de- 
clined the  offer  so  kindly  made. 

At  their  final  meeting  the  Governor  expressed  a  de- 
sire to  make  his  old  school  friend  a  gift,  and  offering 
Mr.  Astor  a  package,  said,  "Take  this;  you  may  find 
its  value."  After  which  the  two  fellow-countrymen 
parted  with  true  German  warmth. 

The  package  handed  Mr.  Astor  contained  a  Canton 
Prices  Current,  and  a  Permit  which  enabled  the  ship 


130 


The  East  India  Pass 


that  carried  it,  to  trade  freely  at  any  of  the  ports  held 
by  the  East  India  Company. 

While  he  was  grateful  for  the  consideration  shown 
him,  the  Governor's  gift  at  this  time  did  not  suggest 
the  value  to  Mr.  Astor 's  mind  that  it  did  later.  He 
owned  no  ships,  and  had  never  had  any  trade  with  the 
East  Indies,  and  was  making  no  plans  in  that  direc- 
tion. Yet  he  bore  back  across  the  ocean  the  piece  of 
parchment,  which  was  destined  to  be  the  foundation  of 
his  vast  shipping  interests,  a  trade  amounting  to  mil- 
lions, and  which  was  to  circle  the  globe.  The  Permit 
was  No.  68. 

It  is  probable  that  Mr.  Astor  did  much  thinking 
concerning  this  bit  of  parchment  during  the  long  days 
of  the  voyage,  realizing  its  value  under  certain  condi- 
tions. Upon  arriving  at  home,  it  seems  to  have  been  an 
early  and  important  matter  of  discussion  between  him- 
self and  his  wife. 

"I  have  no  ships,  and  it  is  of  no  present  use  to  us,'* 
he  said. 

Mrs.  Astor 's  ready  wit  proposed  that  her  husband  go 
and  have  a  talk  with  James  Livermore,  who  was  en- 
gaged in  the  West  India  trade,  and  owned  some  very 
good-sized  vessels.  Mr.  Astor  considered  his  wife's  ad- 
vice worth  taking,  and  called  on  the  ship  owner,  show- 


131 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 


ing  him  the  East  India  Pass,  and  Canton  Prices  Cur- 
rent. 

"Now,"  said  he,  "if  you  will  make  up  a  voyage  for 
one  of  your  largest  ships,  I  will  loan  you  the  Pass  and 
the  Prices  Current,  on  one  condition.  You  are  to  fur- 
nish ship  and  cargo,  but  I  am  to  have  one  half  the 
profits  for  my  pass,  and  for  suggesting  the  voyage." 

The  West  India  merchant  scoffed  at  what  he  called 
a  one-sided  proposition,  and  apparently  gave  it  no 
serious  thought.  Mr.  Astor  went  home  and  told  his 
wife  the  result  of  his  visit,  and  for  a  time  the  matter 
was  dropped. 

Meanwhile  the  West  India  merchant  was  turning  the 
subject  over  in  his  mind.  He  had  been  successful  in 
the  West  India  trade,  and  here  was  an  opening  for  the 
Bast  Indies.  At  that  time  no  American  ^vessels  traded 
at  Canton.  The  East  India  ports  were  as  tightly  closed 
to  American  commerce  as  if  they  had  not  existed. 

Mr.  Livermore's  meditations  and  calculations  ended 
in  a  return  call  on  Mr.  Astor. 

"Were  you  in  earnest?"  asked  the  ship  owner, 
1 1  when  you  showed  me  the  Pass  of  the  East  India  Com- 
pany?" 

"I  was  never  more  so,"  replied  Mr.  Astor. 

Again  they  talked  the  subject  over,  Mr.  Livermore 
finally  agreeing  to  enter  into  the  undertaking,  practi- 

132 


The  East  India  Pass 


call}  at  the  terms  that  Mr.  Astor  had  offered  in  the 
beginning, — that  in  return  for  his  Pass  and  Prices  Cur- 
rent, he  was  to  have  one-half  of  the  profits  of  the  voy- 
age, and  no  expense. 

The  ship  for  the  initial  American  trading  voyage 
to  the  East  Indies,  was  selected,  her  cargo  consisting 
largely  of  ginseng,  lead,  and  scrap  iron.  She  also  carried 
about  thirty  thousand  Spanish  dollars. 

Sailing  for  China,  she  arrived  safely  at  Whampoa,  a 
few  miles  below  Canton,  where  she  anchored,  "loading 
and  unloading  her  cargo  as  freely  as  if  she  had  been  a 
vessel  belonging  to  the  East  India  Company. ' ' 

The  ginseng,  which  cost  twenty  cents  a  pound  in  New 
York,  sold  in  Canton  for  three  dollars  and  fifty  cents 
a  pound.  Lead  brought  ten  cents,  and  scrap  iron  a  very- 
high  price.  The  return  cargo  contained  tea,  that  sold 
in  New  York  for  one  dollar  more  a  pound  than  it  cost 
in  the  Canton  market. 

When  the  accounts  were  settled,  Mr.  Astor 's  share  of 
the  profits  was  fifty-five  thousand  dollars,  in  silver.  This 
was  packed  in  barrels  and  sent  up  to  his  store.  Mrs  As- 
tor is  said  to  have  enquired  what  the  barrels  contained. 
"The  fruit  of  our  East  India  Pass,"  replied  her  hus 
band. 

Mr.  Livermore  returned  the  Pass  to  its  owner,  and 
with  his  share  of  the  profits  of  the  voyage,  Mr.  Astor 


133 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

bought  a  ship,  which  he  loaded  with  an  assorted  cargo, 
and  started  his  own  vessel  to  China,  having  fully 
awakened  to  the  value  of  the  Governor's  gift. 

At  the  Sandwich  Islands  they  made  a  stop,  to  take 
on  water  and  a  fresh  supply  of  provisions,  and  the  Cap- 
tain seized  the  opportunity  to  lay  in  a  fresh  store  of 
fire  wood.  At  Canton,  a  mandarin  was  among  their 
visitors.  He  noticed  their  fire  wood,  and  asked  the  price 
of  it.  The  Captain  showed  amusement  at  the  question, 
but  said  he  was  open  to  an  offer.  The  mandarin  of- 
fered five  hundred  dollars  a  ton,  and  every  stick  of  it 
AVris  sold  at  that  price. 

The  fuel  intended  for  fire  wood,  proved  to  be  sandal 
wood.  The  sandal  wood  sale  was  kept  a  profound  secret 
for  seventeen  years,  Mr.  Astor  holding  the  monopoly  of 
the  trade  in  this  valuable  commodity.  During  this  long 
period  no  other  trading  vessel  of  England  or  the  United 
States  found  out  the  secret. 

It  was  not  discovered  till  a  Yankee  captain  conceived 
the  idea  of  following  one  of  Mr.  Astor 's  ships,  and 
watching  what  occurred  on  the  voyage.  After  that 
the  sandal  wood  trade  was  shared  by  a  Boston  ship- 
owner. 

Mr.  Astor  occasionally  made  voyages  to  London  in 
his  own  ships.  During  these  trips  he  made  a  most  care- 


134 


The  East  India  Pass 


ful  study  of  China,  and  the  far-Eastern  trade,  from  the 
Knirlish  standpoint. 

It  is  an  interesting  fact,  that  Mrs.  Astor  was  a  still 
better  judge  of  furs  than  the  great  fur  merchant  him- 
self. It  was  she  who  selected  the  cargoes  for  the  Can- 
ton market,  whose  successful  sale  gave  proof  of  her 
ability.  When  the  Astors  became  wealthy,  she  was  ac- 
customed to  ask  her  husband  a  generous  price  an  hour 
for  giving  her  judgment  in  the  selection  of  furs,  know- 
ing well  that  her  skill  and  perception  were  an  assistance 
to  him  in  his  commercial  operations.  Mr.  Astor  is  said 
to  have  given  his  wife  whatever  she  asked  for  her  co- 
operation. 

Mr.  Astor  continued  his  commercial  relations  with 
China  for  twenty -seven  years,  sometimes  with  loss,  gen- 
erally with  gain,  and  occasionally  with  enormous  profit. 
China  was  the  best  market  for  furs  in  the  world,  but 
his  shipping  was  not  confined  entirely  to  the  skins 
which  he  exported.  There  were  also  return  cargoes  of 
rice,  tea,  matting  and  other  articles,  for  which  there 
was  an  urgent  call  in  America,  and  upon  which  large 
profits  were  to  be  made. 

John  Jacob  Astor  was  America's  pioneer  mer- 
chant in  the  China  trade.  Following  in  his  wake  were 
a  hundred  other  merchants,  who  made  large  fortunes 
in  the  years  which  followed. 


135 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 
A  NEW  CENTURY. 

THE  departure  of  the  Astor  ships  was  directed 
from  New  York,  their  owner  always  giving  his 
captains  and  agents  explicit  and  minute  direc- 
tions in  regard  to  the  management  of  the  expedition. 
If  these  directions  were  accurately  followed,  the  voyage 
was  usually  a  prosperous  one. 

In  those  days  of  sailing  packets,  with  commercial  re- 
strictions peculiar  to  the  times,  with  no  telegraph,  cable 
across  the  ocean  or  wireless,  and  with  postal  com- 
munication very  irregular,  the  organization  and  con- 
duct of  these  ocean  ventures,  with  their  possibility  of 
accidents  and  delays,  called  for  most  comprehensive 
foresight  and  sagacity  on  the  part  of  the  managing 
head  of  this  world-wide  commerce.  Mr.  Astor  was  in 
the  habit  of  forming  his  plans  with  the  utmost  delibera- 
iton,  but  when  really  under  way,  he  carried  them  for- 
ward with  nerve  and  dispatch,  and  with  an  easy  grasp 
of  every  detail. 

In  the  early  years  of  the  nineteenth  century,  the  fur 
trade  was  very  profitable,  and  of  vast  extent.  Six  mil- 

136 


A  New  Century 


lion  peltries  were  estimated  to  have  been  sold  annually, 
the  skins  varying  in  value  from  fifteen  cents  to  five 
hundred  dollars. 

Nearly  every  gentleman  in  Europe  and  America 
wore  a  beaver  skin  upon  his  head,  or  a  part  of  one. 
Good  beaver  skins  could  be  bought  from  the  Indians 
for  a  dollar's  worth  of  trinkets.  In  London  the  same 
gkin  brought  twenty-five  English  shillings.  These 
twenty-five  English  shillings  invested  in  English  cloth 
and  cutlery,  brought  a  return  in  New  York  of  ten  dol- 
lars. So  the  beaver  skin  rolled  up  money  as  it  traveled, 
and  the  fur  trade  was  a  good  business. 

Mr.  Astor's  ventures  to  China,  as  has  been  stated, 
were  often  most  fortunate.  A  fair  profit  on  a  voyage  to 
the  East  was  thirty  thousand  dollars.  He  was  the  first 
American  merchant  to  conceive  the  idea  of  habitual ly 
trading  around  the  globe,  sending  super-cargoes  with 
American  furs  to  England,  from  there  carrying  Brit- 
ish merchandise  to  China,  and  returning  to  America 
with  tea.  Sometimes  this  order  was  reversed,  and  his 
ships  sailed  westward,  but  eastward  or  westward,  they 
circled  the  globe,  and  were  gone  the  larger  part  of  two 
years.  In  speaking  of  Mr.  Astor,  Philip  Hone,  at  one 
time  Mayor  of  New  York,  wrote  in  his  "Diary":  "The 
fur- trade  was  the  philosopher's  stone  of  this  modern  Croe- 
sus, beaver  skins  and  musk  rats  furnishing  the  oil  for 


137 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

the  supply  of  Aladdin's  lamp.  His  traffic  was  the  ship- 
ment of  furs  to  China,  where  they  brought  immense 
prices,  for  he  monopolized  the  business;  and  the  return 
cargoes  of  teas,  silks  and  rich  productions  of  China 
brought  further  large  profits;  for  here,  too,  he  had 
very  little  competition  at  the  time  of  which  I  am  speak- 
ing. My  brother  and  I  found  in  Mr.  Astor  a  valuable 
customer.  We  sold  many  of  his  cargoes,  and  had  no 
reason  to  complain  of  a  want  of  liberality  or  confi- 
dence. All  he  touched  turned  to  gold,  and  it  seemed 
as  if  fortune  delighted  in  erecting  him  a  monument  of 
her  unerring  potency. ' '  At  that  time  a  tea  merchant  of 
large  capital,  had  an  advantage  which  Walter  Barrett, 
an  old  writer,  explains. 

"A  house  that  could  raise  money  enough  thirty  years 
ago,  (the  first  quarter  of  the  nineteenth  century)  to 
send  two  hundred  and  sixty  thousand  dollars  in  specie, 
could  soon  have  an  uncommon  capital,  and  this  was 
the  working  of  the  old  system. 

1  'The  Griswolds  owned  the  ship  'Panama'.  They 
started  her  from  New  York  in  the  month  of  May,  with 
a  cargo  of  perhaps  thirty  thousand  worth  of  ginseng, 
spelter,  lead,  iron,  etc.,  and  one  hundred  and  seventy 
thousand  in  Spanish  dollars.  The  ship  goes  on  the  voy- 
age and  reaches  Whampoa,  a  few  miles  below  Canton, 
in  safety.  Her  super-cargo  in  two  months  has  her 
loaded  with  tea,  some  china  ware,  a  great  deal  of  cassia 
or  false  cinnamon,  and  a  few  other  articles.  Suppose 
the  cargo  is  mainly  tea,  costing  about  thirty-seven  cents 
per  pound  on  the  average. 


138 


A  New  Century 


"The  duty  was  enormous  in  those  days.  It  was  twice 
the  cost  of  the  tea  at  least;  so  that  a  tea  cargo  of  two 
hundred  thousand  dollars,  when  it  had  paid  duty  of 
seventy-five  cents  a  pound,  which  would  be  four  hun- 
dred thousand  dollars,  amounted  to  six  hundred  thou- 
sand. The  profit  was  at  least  fifty  per  cent  on  the 
original  cost,  or  one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  and 
would  make  the  cargo  worth  seven  hundred  thousand 
dollars. 

"The  cargo  of  tea  would  be  sold  almost  on  arrival, 
(say  eleven  or  twelve  months  after  the  ship  left  New 
York  in  May),  to  wholesale  grocers,  for  their  notes  at 
four  and  six  months,  say  seven  hundred  thousand  dol- 
lars. 

' '  In  those  years  there  was  credit  given  by  the  United 
States  of  nine,  twelve  and  eighteen  months!  So  that 
the  East  India  or  Canton  merchant,  after  his  ship  had 
made  one  voyage,  had  the  use  of  government  capital  to 
the  extent  of  four  hundred  thousand  dollars,  on  the 
ordinary  cargo  of  a  China  ship. 

"No  sooner  had  the  ship  'Panama'  arrived,  or  any  of 
the  regular  East  Indiamen,  then  the  cargo  would  be 
exchanged  for  grocers'  notes,  for  seven  hundred  thou- 
sand dollars.  These  notes  could  be  turned  into  specie 
very  easily,  and  the  owner  had  only  to  pay  his  bonds 
for  four  hundred  thousand  dollars  duty,  at  nine, 
twelve  or  eighteen  months,  giving  him  t^'me  to  actually 
send  two  more  ships  with  two  hundred  thousand  dollars 
each  to  Canton,  and  have  them  back  again  in  New  York 
before  the  bonds  on  the  first  voyage  were  due. 

"John  Jacob  Astor,  at  one  period  of  his  life,  had  sev- 
eral ships  operating  in  this  way.  They  would  go  to 
Oregon  on  the  Pacific,  and  carry  from  thence  furs  for 
Canton.  These  would  be  sold  at  large  profits.  Then  the 
cargoes  of  tea  for  New  York  would  pay  enormous 
duties,  which  Astor  did  not  have  to  pay  to  the  United 


139 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 


States  for  a  year  and  a  half.  His  tea  cargoes  would  be 
sold  for  good  four  and  six  months'  paper,  or  perhaps 
cash;  so  that  for  eighteen  or  twenty  years,  John  Jacob 
Astor  had  what  was  actually  a  free-of-interest  loan 
from  the  government,  of  over  five  million  dollars. 

"Astor  was  prudent  and  lucky  in  his  operations,  and 
such  an  enormous  government  loan  didn't  ruin  him  as 
it  did  others." 

The  fur  trade  engrossed  the  thought  of  the  men  of 
those  days,  as  the  gold  mines  did  a  later  generation.  It 
gave  employment  to  many  thousands,  and  among  the 
great  merchants  connected  with  it,  there  was  intense 
competition.  The  fur  sales  of  the  Astors  held  spring 
and  fall  at  a  later  date,  brought  crowds  of  fur  dealers 
from  all  over  Europe  to  attend  them.  As  long  as  life 
lasted,  John  Jacob  Astor  had  a  warm  affection  for 
beautiful  and  costly  furs,  and  for  years  was  accus- 
tomed to  have  a  handsome  specimen  hanging  in  his 
counting  room. 

Beaver,  mink,  sable  and  otter  filled  the  great  North- 
ern forests  when  the  fur  trade  began,  but  as  the  hunt- 
ers spread  each  year  in  great  numbers  over  the  fur 
country,  beating  the  woods,  and  trapping  their  game, 
gradually  the  abundance  of  fur-bearing  animals  dimin- 
ished, and  in  some  places  became  extinct. 

This  result  of  the  great  fur  trade,  sent  the  hunters 
in  pursuit  of  new  waters  and  forests,  as  yet  unmolested 
by  white  men,  where  the  fur-bearing  animals  still 


140 


A  New  Century 


throve  and  multiplied.  Woods  and  streams  were 
scoured,  further  and  further  west,  until  the  fur  trade 
reached  the  Mississippi  and  Missouri,  and  finally 
stretched  from  ocean  to  ocean. 

Although  John  Jacob  Astor's  tea  business  was  sec- 
ondary to  his  fur  business,  he  combined  the  two  as  h« 
circled  the  globe.  He  is  said  to  have  made  by  his  voy- 
ages, "four  times  as  much  as  the  regular  tea  mer- 
chants in  their  most  prosperous  days.  At  this  time  there 
was  not  so  great  a  variety  of  fancy  teas.  Black  tea  wa» 
called  souchong,  and  green,  hyson  skin;  but  occasion- 
ally a  ship  would  bring  to  New  York  a  few  packages  of 
young  hyson  or  hyson. ' ' 

It  was  the  custom  of  the  day  to  hold  auction  sales  of 
tea  upon  the  wharves.  Advertisements  and  handbills 
were  distributed  among  the  probable  purchasers,  and 
punch  often  contributed  to  the  £clat  and  hilarity  of 
the  occasion.  When  there  was  an  "open  market*'  the 
day  ended  with  large  profits  for  the  tea  merchant. 

To  accommodate  his  tea  business,  Mr.  Astor  owned  an 
immense  tea  warehouse  on  Greenwich  Street,  between 
Liberty  and  Courtland  Streets. 

The  ships  that  sailed  the  Pacific  carried  many  arti- 
cles besides  furs  and  specie,  and  tea.  The  Rowlands  were 
a  typical  firm  of  shippers  and  we  have  a  description  of 
their  freight:  "They  sent  out  cargoes  valued  as  high 

141 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 


as  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars,  made  up 
to  Valparaiso,  Lima  and  Mazatlan.  The  cargoes  were 
composed  of  everything  from  a  cambric  needle  to  a 
hoop-pole,  packed  in  small  barrels  so  they  could  be  car- 
ried later  on  mules'  backs.  There  were  wines,  bales  of 
domestic  fireworks,  Chinese  fire-crackers,  gunpowder, 
muskets,  lead,  crimson  and  scarlet  crepe  shawls,  plain 
crockery  and  fine  china," — in  fact,  a  regular  depart- 
ment store  of  to-day. 

With  each  ship  went  the  super-cargo,  who  was  usual 
ly  a  clerk  in  the  employ  of  the  house  which  he  repre- 
sented, who  had  been  with  them  for  some  time,  and 
was  familiar  with  their  methods  of  business.  To  the 
super-cargoes  of  these  early  days,  belongs  the  credit  of 
establishing  American  commercial  houses  in  foreign 
ports.  At  first  their  mission  was  to  sell  their  cargoes  and 
buy  return  cargoes,  accompanying  them  to  New  York. 
But  after  a  time  it  was  found  that  an  agent  was  needed 
to  remain  permanently  at  the  foreign  port,  and  the 
super-cargo  was  the  man  who  best  understood  the  situ- 
ation. 

The  first  super-cargoes  to  Canton  became  in  later 
years  the  principal  American  merchants  in  China.  Tht> 
large  capital  called  for  in  the  East  India  business, 
prevented  the  average  merchant  from  trading  in  that 
part  of  the  world. 

142 


A  New  Century 


While  American  ships  were  sailing  around  the  world, 
it  is  interesting  to  note,  that  the  regular  packets  em- 
ployed between  Falmouth  and  New  York,  in  the  first  dec- 
ade of  the  nineteenth  century,  still  bore  English 
names.  "Earl  of  Leicester,"  "Princess  Elizabeth," 
"Lord  Charles  Spencer,"  "Lady  Arabella,"  "the 
names  of  all  of  King  George 's  family,  ministers,  and 
officers  of  the  Crown."  These  packets  with  royal  names, 
were  hardly  as  large  as  a  North  River  sloop,  and  made 
I >ut  two  voyages  a  year,  but  the  time  was  not  far  away, 
when  both  the  size  and  names  of  the  vessels  plying  be- 
tween the  United  States  and  England  changed,  and 
"North  America,"  "Independence"  and  "Washing 
ton"  were  among  the  cognomens  that  replaced  those 
of  royal  lineage. 

Mr.  Astor  had  been  living  for  some  years  now  at  223 
Broadway,  in  a  house  built  by  Rufus  King,  when  he 
was  United  States  Senator,  before  he  became  ambas- 
sador to  the  Court  of  St.  James.  For  a  time  his  office 
was  in  Vesey  Street.  During  the  war  of  1812  and  for 
many  years  afterward,  he  had  his  store  at  69  Pine 
Street,  corner  of  Pearl  Street,  which  gave  him  the  op- 
portunity of  going  from  the  dobryard  of  his  house  into 
his  store. 

This  Broadway  home  had  an  open  piazza  supported 
by  pillars  and  arches,  where  its  owner  was  accus- 


143 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

tomed  to  sit  in  the  cool  of  the  afternoon  after  an  early 
dinner.  Here  he  continued  through  the  years,  to  play 
scores  of  games  of  checkers,  of  which  he  was  very  fond ; 
to  enjoy  his  glass  of  beer  and  his  pipe ;  and  later,  with 
his  good  road-horse,  to  start  on  his  rides  over  Manhat 
tan  Island,  which  had  become  a  settled  custom. 

The  old  Bowery  road,  bordered  with  the  residences 
of  the  Dutch  aristocracy, — low,  picturesque  houses 
with  high  stoops,  surrounded  by  guarding  trees  and 
masses  of  shrubbery,  beneath  whose  shade  whole  fami- 
lies sat  in  the  cool  of  the  day,  while  children  rolled 
hoops  and  played  marbles  on  the  sidewalk, — was  famil- 
iar ground;  as  was  also  Bleecker  Street,  where  black- 
berries and  roses  ran  riot  within  and  without  the  gar- 
den walls. 

Beyond  St.  Mark's  church  was  open  country.  The 
Stuyvesant  meadows  led  on  to  farms  and  market  gar- 
dens, varied  by  thickets  and  swamps,  while  the  rider 
occasionally  passed  fine  old  country  seats  in  the  midst 
of  broad  acres.  Greenwich  village  was  two  miles  from 
the  town  of  New  York,  and  a  traveler  was  apt  to  tako 
the  road  through  Greenwich  avenue,  but  no  road  was 
too  remote  or  unfrequented  to  be  traversed  by  John 
Jacob  Astor  and  his  good  horse.  So  the  island  became 
more  and  more  familiar  to  the  future  great  land- 
owner. 


144 


A  New  Century 


An  evening  at  the  theatre  was  also  among  the  great 
merchant's  recreations.  He  warmly  appreciated  the 
dramatic  performances  of  Edmund  Kean  and  Charlei 
Mathews,  and  the  musical  genius  of  Garcia  and  Ma- 
dame Malibran;  and  when  attendance  at  the  old  Park 
Theatre  was  a  popular  evening  recreation,  Mr.  Astor 
found  rest  and  refreshment  in  witnessing  a  good  play. 


145 


CHAPTER  XIX. 
A  VISION  THAT  CROSSED  A  CONTINENT. 

NAPOLEON  Bonaparte  sold  Louisiana  to  Presi- 
dent Jefferson,  for  the  United  States  govern- 
ment, in  1803. 

The  fifteen  million  dollars  paid  for  a  far  greater  ter- 
ritory than  the  State  that  goes  by  that  name  to-day. 
The  Louisiana  which  Jefferson  purchased,  stretched 
westward  "from  the  Mississippi  River  to  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  and  from  the  border  of  the  British  posses- 
sions on  the  North  to  Mexico  on  the  South." 

This  new  possession  doubled  the  national  territory, 
and  more  than  doubled  the  national  vision.  Only  the, 
outskirts  of  the  Louisiana  of  those  days  had  been  visit- 
ed by  white  men,  but  Jefferson  was  not  the  type  of 
man  to  let  this  unknown  region  of  great  possibilities  go 
unexplored. 

He  wanted  to  know  a  great  many  facts  about  the 
new  land, — how  the  country  lay,  what  great  rivers 
watered  it,  what  mountains  capped  it,  what  its  wealth 
of  animal,  vegetable,  and  mineral  life  might  be;  and 
most  important  of  all,  in  taking  initial  steps  on  the 

146 


A  Vision 


American  continent,  what  tribes  of  Indians  were  to  be 
found  there,  and  their  tendency  toward  peace  or  war. 

In  a  message  to  Congress,  the  President  wrote:  "An 
intelligent  officer,  with  ten  or  twelve  chosen  men  fit  for 
the  enterprise,  and  willing  to  undertake  it,  taken  from 
posts  where  they  may  be  spared  without  inconvenience, 
might  explore  the  whole  line,  even  to  the  Western 
Ocean,  have  conferences  with  the  natives  on  the  sub- 
ject of  commercial  intercourse,  get  admission  among 
them  for  our  traders  as  others  are  admitted,  agree  on 
convenient  deposits  for  an  interchange  of  articles,  and 
return  with  the  information  required  in  the  course  of 
two  summers." 

Congress  favored  the  enterprise,  and  thereupon  the 
President  planned  an  exploring  expedition,  headed  by 
his  private  secretary,  Captain  Meriwether  Lewis,  to- 
gether with  Captain  William  Clark. 

They  started  for  St.  Louis  in  the  fall  of  the  same 
year,  laden  with  provisions,  camp  outfit,  fire-arms,  and 
gifts  for  the  Indians.  To  these  were  to  be  added  ma- 
terial for  keeping  detailed  journals  by  several  of  the 
party,  the  "paper  of  the  birch"  being  recommended, 
as  "less  liable  of  injury  from  the  damp  than  common 
paper. ' ' 

The  party  was  gone  nearly  three  years,  camping 
three  winters  in  the  wilderness.  It  was  a  wonderful 


147 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

journey,  full  of  hardships;  full  also  of  inspiring  dis- 
coveries. They  ascended  the  Missouri  in  boats,,  reaching 
the  great  falls,  upon  which  no  other  white  man  had 
yet  looked.  Tracing  the  great  river  to  its  sources,  they 
more  than  once  found  themselves  forced  to  choose  their 
way  between  two  or  three  forking  streams.  Making 
the  most  careful  examination  in  advance,  they  moved 
bravely  forward ;  fortunate  each  time  in  selecting  a  cor- 
rect water-course. 

Captain  Lewis  named  one  of  these  branching  streams 
"Maria's  River"  after  his  young  cousin,  Maria  Wood, 
left  far  back  in  the  east.  "It  is  true,"  he  wrote,  "that 
the  hue  of  the  water  of  this  turbulent  and  troubled 
stream  but  illy  comports  with  the  pure,  celestial  virtues 
of  that  lovely  fair  one,  but  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  a 
noble  river. ' ' 

The  Missouri  at  its  initial  source — a  spring  of  ice- 
cold  water,  issued  from  the  base  of  a  low  mountain. 
Just  before  reaching  it,  "McNeal,  one  of  the  party, 
stood  with  one  foot  on  each  side  of  the  river,  thankful, 
he  said,  'that  he  had  lived  to  bestride  the  mighty,  and 
heretofore  deemed,  endless  Missouri.'  : 

They  crossed  the  Rockies,  which  they  called  "the 
Stony  Mountains,"  with  the  guidance  of  the  Shoshoni 
Indians,  a  member  of  whose  tribe  they  had  with  them, 
Sacojawea,  a  young  woman  who  had  been  captured  by 

148 


A  Vision 


the  Minitarees  five  years  earlier,  and  who  had  gained 
her  freedom,  and  now  with  her  husband,  Charbonneau, 
the  interpreter,  were  members  of  the  exploring  party. 
They  passed  over  the  mighty  range  through  the  deep 
gorges  of  the  Bitterroot  Mountains,  a  trail  through 
which  the  Indians  had  passed  from  time  immemorial, 
from  the  head  waters  of  the  Missouri  to  the  head  wa- 
ters of  the  Columbia. 

Their  joy  was  great  when  they  struck  a  navigable 
branch  of  the  Columbia,  which  eventually  brought  them 
in  sight  of  the  Pacific  Ocean.  Here  Captain  Robert 
Gray,  of  Boston,  had  preceded  them  in  1792,  in  his  dis- 
covery of  the  great  river,  which  he  had  named  after 
one  of  his  vessels,  "the  Columbia."  When  Lewis  and 
Clark  reached  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia,  they  knew 
they  had  accomplished  their  purpose.  They  had  carried 
the  American  flag  across  the  continent,  and  reached  the 
spot  where  Gray  had  planted  the  flag  by  way  of  the 


John  Jacob  Astor  was  among  those  who  awaited  the 
result  of  this  journey  of  exploration  with  intense  in- 
terest. Cook  and  Gray  and  Vancouver  had  told  of  "sea 
otter,  seal  and  beaver  in  large  numbers  to  be  found  on 
the  shores  of  the  Pacific."  Lewis  and  Clark's  story  of 
three  years  in  the  fur  country  would  settle  many  things 
for  the  great  fur  merchant. 

149 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

He  did  not  wait  for  the  official  report  of  the  leading 
explorers,  but  read  eagerly  the  journal  of  Patrick 
Gass,  one  of  the  members  of  the  expedition,  which  was 
published  as  early  as  1807. 

The  party  had  seen  great  herds  of  buffaloes,  one  in 
particular  so  large  that  it  occupied  the  whole  breadth 
of  a  river  a  mile  wide,  and  it  had  taken  an  hour  for 
the  herd  to  pass  by.  They  had  discovered  Indian 
tribes,  previously  unknown,  some  of  them  wretchedly 
poor,  and  some  with  good  homes  and  plenty  of  horses. 
One  of  the  latter,  a  traveler  could  often  buy  for  a  few 
beads. 

They  learned  that  there  was  a  wealth  of  furs  to  be 
obtained  by  trading  with  some  of  these  Indian  tribes; 
for  elks,  bears,  antelopes,  beaver,  big-horn  sheep,  and 
deer  abounded  on  this  overland  route  to  the  sea. 

This  would  make  it  possible  to  shift  the  fur  market 
from  the  partially  exhausted  forests  of  Michigan  and 
Canada,  to  the  broad  sweeps  of  the  unexplored  land 
now  known  as  Oregon,  Washington,  Vancouver's 
Island,  and  British  Columbia.  At  the  same  time  the 
demand  for  furs  in  China  had  reached  vast  proportions. 

A  great  scheme  had  been  forming  in  John  Jacob 
Astor 's  mind,  simultaneously  with  the  journey  and  dis- 
coveries of  the  explorers.  The  development  of  this 
broad  American  domain,  would  be  advanced  by  the 


150 


A  Vision 


strengthening  of  his  posts  along  the  Great  Lakes  to  the 
Mississippi,  the  forming  of  a  new  line  of  fur  stations 
along  the  Missouri  to  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and  still 
others  by  way  of  the  Columbia  to  the  Pacific,  with  "a 
great  central  collecting  and  distributing  station  at  St. 
Louis. ' '  The  latter  place  was  a  frontier  town,  whose  in 
habitants  were  already  engaged  in  the  fur  trade. 

There  could  be  a  settlement  at  the  mouth  of  the  Co- 
lumbia River,  and  one  of  the  Sandwich  Islands  might 
be  procured  as  an  intermediate  station.  It  would  be 
possible  to  open  communication  with  all  these  points, 
through  a  line  of  vessels  connecting  New  York,  the 
Sandwich  Islands,  the  fort  at  the  mouth  of  the  Colum- 
bia, the  Russian  station  further  North,  and  China  and 
India  across  the  ocean. 

Mr.  Astor  laid  his  project  before  President  Jefferson, 
who  recognized  in  it  a  scheme  for  giving  America  con- 
trol of  all  the  fur  trading  on  her  Northern  and  Western 
borders,  and  he  promised  the  financier  to  lend  all  the 
governmental  aid  legitimately  in  his  power. 

The  social  and  political  side  of  the  enterprise  warmly 
appealed  to  Jefferson.  At  the.  time,  the  country  only 
contained  seventeen  States,  and  not  one  of  these  was 
west  of  the  Misissippi.  The  opportunity  for  the  favor- 
able settlement  of  American  citizens  along  the  pathway 
which  Mr.  Astor  would  open  up,  and  the  advantage  to 


151 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

them  of  a  successful  business  senterprise  on  a  large  scale, 
already  at  home  in  the  wilderness  and  along  the  water- 
ways, struck  Jefferson's  humanitarian  sympathies  and 
ideals. 

In  speaking  of  Astoria,  later,  Jefferson  said:  "I 
considered  as  a  great  public  acquisition  the  commence- 
ment of  a  settlement  on  that  point  of  the  Western  coast 
of  America,  and  looked  forward  with  gratification  to 
the  time  when  its  descendants  should  have  spread  them- 
selves through  the  whole  length  of  that  coast." 

In  1808,  John  Jacob  Astor  obtained  a  New  York 
Charter,  for  the  American  Pur  Company,  under  which 
name  he  was  to  carry  on  his  vast  enterprise,  and  to 
which  }i<>  subscribed  its  entire  capital  of  one  million 
dollars. 

Meanwhile  the  war  between  England  and  France 
had  caused  so  much  disaster  to  American  shipping, 
through  the  capture  of  their  ships  by  first  one,  then 
the  other  of  the  combatants,  that  Congress  laid  an 
"embargo"  in  1807,  forbidding  American  shipping 
from  leaving  American  ports. 

This  was  still  less  pleasing  to  American  merchants 
with  shipping  interests,  than  fear  of  possible  capture 
on  the  high  seas.  John  Jacob  Astor  found  himself  in 
the  same  plight  with  the  rest  of  the  shippers.  All 
American  ships  were  lying  idle  at  their  docks.  The 


152 


A  Vision 


owners  were  equally  idle  without,  but  boiling  within. 
Still  "not  an  oyster  boat  had  been  allowed  to  go  out- 
side of  Sandy  Hook"  when  August  13th,  1808,  the 
"Commercial  Advertiser"  contained  this  brief  line  of 
soul-stirring  news. 

"Yesterday  the  ship  'Beaver/  Captain  Galloway, 
sailed  for  China." 

Walter  Barrett  continues  the  story : 

"Every  one  who  knew  anything  at  all  about  shipping, 
knew  that  the  ship  'Beaver'  was  built  and  owned  by 
John  Jacob  Astor,  and  that  short  paragraph  caused  a 
prodigious  ferment  among  ship-owners,  when  they  were 
fully  convinced  that  a  ship  of  Mr.  Astor 's  had  really 
put  to  sea,  on  a  long  India  voyage. 

"  'Why  should  one  ship-owner  be  favored  and  riot  the 
rest?'  they  questioned  in  a  chorus. 

"The  reply  was  the  astonishing  statement,  that  Mr. 
Astor  had  obtained  special  permission  from  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States,  to  send  his  ship  'Beaver' 
with  thirty  seamen  on  a  voyage  to  Canton,  in  order  to 
carry  home  a  great  Chinese  Mandarin.  Many  believed 
that  John  Jacob  Astor  had  picked  up  a  Chinaman  in 
the  Park,  made  up  the  story,  obtained  permission  from 
the  President,  and  got  his  ship  out  to  sea  before  his 
plans  were  suspected. 

"A  rival  house  wrote  a  letter  to  President  Jefferson, 
telling  him  'that  the  great  Chinese  personage  was  no 
Mandarin — nor  even  a  Hong  Kong  merchant — but  a 
common  Chinese  dock  loafer,  smu£<rl<'(l  out  from 
China.'  They  also  stated  that  'he  had  departed  from 
China  contrary  to  the  laws  of  that  country ;  that  when 
he  reached  home  he  would  put  ashore  privately  from 
the  *  Beaver,'  and  that  his  obscure  condition  in  life 

153 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 


would  probably  be  his  only  chance  of  escaping  a  sum- 
mary death.' 

"It  was  likewise  hinted  that  if  the  Government  had 
been  surprised  into  giving  this  permit,  that  they  could 
rectify  their  error,  and  vindicate  the  honor  of  the  Ad- 
ministration by  arresting  Astor,  and  causing  him  to 
take  the  consequence  of  his  action. 

' '  It  was  a  difficult  case.  The  motives  of  the  President 
in  granting  permission  could  not  be  ascertained.  It 
was  the  general  opinion  that  it  was  a  dodge  on  Mr. 
Astor 's  part.  What  helped  to  give  color  to  this  belief, 
was  the  fact  that  the  successful  ship-owner  had  offered 
a  month  before,  to  make  contracts  with  other  merchants 
to  bring  home  goods  from  Canton  as  freight.  No  one 
doubted  that  it  was  his  intention  to  sail  for  China  at 
a  time  when  other  merchants  were  restrained  by  the 
embargo. 

"The  'Commercial  Advertiser'  came  out  with  a 
caustic  editorial  in  reference  to  the  'strange  permission 
of  President  Jefferson/ 

"Next  day  the  owner  of  the  'Beaver'  became  aroused 
and  wrote  the  following  letter: 

"  'To  the  Editor  of  the  Commercial  Advertiser:— 

"  'I  observed  in  your  paper  of  the  13th  instant,  an 
article  inviting  public  attention  to  a  transaction  (as 
you  state  it,  of  a  most  extraordinary  character)  rela- 
tive to  the  ship  "Beaver"  and  the  Mandarin. 

"  'If  whoever  wrote  that  article  will  give  me  his  name, 
and  if  he  is  not  prejudiced  against  any  act  of  the  Ad- 
ministration, nor  influenced  from  envy  arising  from 
jealousy,  he  shall  receive  a  statement  of  facts  relative 
to  the  transaction  in  question,  which  will  relieve  him 
from  the  anxiety  under  which  he  appears  to  labor  for 
the  honor  of  the  Government,  and  the  reputation  of  all 
concerned.  He  shall  be  convinced  that  the  Govern- 
ment has  not  been  surprised  by  misrepresentation  in 

154 


A  Vision 


granting  permission,  and  the  reputation  of  those  con- 
cerned cannot  be  in  the  slightest  degree  affected. 

"  'By  giving  the  above  a  place  in  your  paper,  you 
will  oblige, 

' '  '  Your  humble  servant, 

"  'JOHN  JACOB  ASTOR.' 

"Mr.  Astor's  friends  dropped  in  upon  him  that  even- 
ing at  his  home  on  Broadway,  and  congratulated  him 
upon  his  letter. 

''The  author  of  the  editorial  in  the  'Advertiser'  does 
not  seem  to  have  divulged  his  name,  and  Mr.  Astor 
never  made  any  further  public  explanation. 

' 'The  'Beaver'  made  a  great  voyage,  returning  home 
with  two  hundred  thousand  dollars  more  than  she  car- 
ried with  her.  She  made  two  other  Canton  trips,  one  in 
1809,  and  another  in  1810,  and  was  one  of  the  ships  con- 
nected with  the  great  American  enterprise." 


155 


CHAPTER  XX. 
THE  VOYAGE  OF  THE  TONQUIN. 

IN  his  scheme  for  controlling  the  fur  trade  of  the 
Northwestern  coast  of  America,  and  from  there 
sweeping  the  Pacific,  John  JJacob  Astor  planned 
as  has  been  seen,  for  a  great  trading  post  on 
the  Pacific  coast,  approached  by  an  overland  route  across 
the  Rockies  on  the  one  hand;  and  by  his  ships  sailing 
around  Cape  Horn  to  reinforce  and  supply  the  enter- 
prise on  the  other. 

H''  also  designed  to  carry  supplies  to  the  Russian  Fur 
Company  further  North,  which  heretofore,  had  been 
dependent  on  transient  trading  vessels,  which  had  been 
reckless  in  their  dealings  with  the  natives. 

After  collecting  a  ship-load  of  furs  on  the  Pacific 
coast,  his  vessels  were  to  sail  for  China,  and  there  ex- 
change furs  for  teas  and  other  commodities.  With  a 
fresh  cargo,  their  final  voyage  was  to  New  York,  with 
their  valuable  freight,  soon  to  be  turned  into  money, 
having  been  two  years  in  circling  the  globe.  By  means 
of  the  western  posts,  Mr.  Astor  hoped  to  draw  to 
America  the  enormous  trade  of  the  Orient. 

156 


Voyage  of  the  Tonquin 


John  Jacob  Astor  knew  his  principal  rival  in  his 
great  venture  would  be  the  Northwest  Fur  Com- 
pany. They  already  had  some  stations  in  New  Cale- 
donia beyond  the  Rockies,  but  these  were  further  North, 
and  Mr.  Astor  hoped  to  win  their  co-operation  in  his 
new  scheme,  rather  than  enter  into  a  competition, 
which  would  only  result  in  the  fierce  rivalries  that  had 
injured  the  fur  companies  in  the  past.  The  American 
fur  merchant,  therefore,  invited  the  Northwest  Com- 
pany to  join  him  in  this  fresh  enterprise,  but  finding 
his  overtures  rejected,  he  proceeded  to  interest  a  group 
of  men,  well  acquainted  with  the  fur  trade,  in  his 
project,  and  formed  the  Pacific  Fur  Company  in  1810. 

The  promoter  himself  .yas  to  provide  all  vessels,  pro- 
visions, ammunition,  arms,  goods,  and  all  other  things 
needed  for  the  enterprise,  providing  they  did  not  ex- 
ceed the  sum  of  four  hundred  thousand  dollars.  One 
half  of  the  one  hundred  shares  of  stock  Mr.  Astor  was 
to  hold,  the  remaining  half  to  be  distributed  between 
his  partners.  For  a  trial  period  of  five  years,  Mr. 
Astor  would  also  bear  all  losses,  after  which  they  would 
be  borne  by  the  partners  according  to  the  number  of 
shares  they  held.  One  of  the  partners,  Wilson  Price 
Hunt,  a  man  of  sterling  qualities  of  character,  and  a 
native  born  American  citizen,  had  been  engaged  on  the 
western  frontier  in  furnishing  Indian  traders  with 


157 


The  Original  John  Jacab  Astor 

goods  and  equipment,  and  had  gained  much  knowledge 
of  Indian  tribes,  and  the  country  which  they  inhabited. 
Mr.  Hunt  was  appointed  leader  of  the  overland  expedi- 
tion from  Montreal,  with  the  responsibility  of  establish- 
ing posts  along  the  route,  and  sending  out  groups  of 
trappers.  Eventually,  he  was  to  act  as  Mr.  Astor  '3 
chief  agent  at  Astoria. 

Four  other  partners,  all  Scottish  Canadians,  Alex- 
ander McKay,  Duncan  McDougal,  David  Stuart  and 
his  nephew,  Robert  Stuart, — all  men  of  experience  in 
the  fur  trade,  and  two  of  them  previously  connected 
with  the  Northwest  Company, — were  to  sail  around  the 
Horn,  meeting  the  land  party  at  the  mouth  of  the  Co- 
lumbia. Meanwhile,  Duncan  McDougal  was  to  act  as 
Mr.  Astor 's  proxy  until  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Hunt. 

Captain  Jonathan  Thorn,  an  able  seaman  and 
skilled  navigator,  was  placed  in  charge  of  the  Tonquin, 
in  which  the  four  Scottish  partners,  together  with 
twelve  clerks,  and  a  number  of  artisans,  were  to  sail. 
The  exaggerated  reports  which  were  circulated  in 
regard  to  the  wealth  to  be  obtained  on  the  Columbia,  in- 
duced prominent  merchants  to  seek  for  their  sons  ap- 
pointments in  the  new  company.  Indeed,  more  posi- 
tions were  asked  for,  than  there  were  openings  to  be 
filled,  and  many  desirable  young  men  were  turned 
away. 

158 


Voyage  of  the  Tonquin 


Added  to  those  already  mentioned,  were  thirteen 
Canadians,  nine  of  whom,  with  Mr.  McKay  as  com- 
mander, loyal  to  the  traditions  of  their  calling,  set  out 
from  Montreal  to  show  "the  States"  a  genuine  crew  of 
Canadian  voyageurs,  in  one  of  their  picturesque 
canoes.  They  embarked  on  the  26th  of  July,  in  gala 
array,  their  hats  trimmed  with  ribbons  and  feathers; 
and  by  river  and  portage  reached  Lake  Champlain, 
where  after  "well  calking  their  seams,"  they  traversed 
the  length  of  the  Lake,  and  again  portaged  their  canoes 
to  the  Hudson.  One  fine  summer  day  they  plied  their 
oars  merrily  down  the  river,  singing  their  French  boat 
songs  past  village  and  farm  house,  indulging  oc- 
casionally in  a  war-whoop  to  startle  the  staid  Dutch 
residents  along  shore.  They  closed  their  exhibition  as 
they  swept  around  New  York  in  a  still  summer  even- 
ing, with  their  songs  echoing  along  wharves  and  docks, 
and  up  the  intersecting  streets.  They  were  full  of 
bravado  and  recommended  themselves  as  ready  "to  live 
hard,  lie  hard,  eat  dogs," — or  endure  any  hardships. 

Mr.  Astor  addressed  a  letter  to  the  four  partners 
about  to  embark  on  the  Tonquin,  enjoining  them  to 
cultivate  harmony  and  unanimity,  and  suggested  that 
all  differences  be  settled  by  a  majority  vote.  "If  you 
find  the  Indians  kind,"  he  wrote,  "as  I  hope  you  will, 
be  so  to  them.  If  otherwise,  act  with  caution  and 


159 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 


forbearance,  and  convince  them  that  you  come  as 
friends. ' ' 

In  a  letter  of  instruction  to  Captain  Thorn,  he  closed 
with  the  sentence:  "I  must  recommend  you  to  be 
particularly  careful  on  the  coast,  and  not  to  rely  too 
much  on  the  friendly  disposition  of  the  natives.  AU 
accidents  which  have  yet  happened  there,  arose  from 
too  much  confidence  in  the  Indians. ' ' 

On  the  morning  of  the  8th  of  September,  1810,  the 
Tonquiu  put  to  sea.  Almost  from  the  start  there  were 
disagreements  between  the  Captain  and  the  partners. 
The  Captain  had  a  naval  officer's  contempt  for  the 
merchant  service,  and  was  annoyed  and  irritated,  as 
he  uTote  Mr.  Astor,  at  the  daintiness  of  his  cabin  pas- 
sengers with  regard  to  their  food;  the  familiarity  be- 
tween partners  and  voyageurs;  the  fresh  interest  of 
these  scribbling  young  men  in  every  small  detail  of  the 
voyage ;  and  their  willingness  to  delay  their  passage  by 
stopping  on  any  attractive  coast.  To  him,  the  partners 
seemed  to  show  but  small  sense  of  the  great  purposes 
and  aims  of  the  voyage,  and  they  in  turn,  found  him 
crusty  and  domineering. 

Gabriel  Franchere,  one  of  the  young  men  who  was 
keeping  a  journal,  speaks  frankly  of  their  pleasure  in 
setting  their  feet  on  solid  land,  after  continuous  storms 
at  sea,  and  that  while  stopping  at  the  Falkland  Isiands, 

160 


Voyage  of  the  Tonquin 


with  the  hope  of  obtaining  a  fresh  supply  of  water,  two 
of  the  partners  and  some  of  the  voyageurs,  who  had 
been  allowed  a  boat,  wandered  over  the  island  killing 
geese  and  ducks,  an  agreeable  addition  to  their  bill  of 
fare.  That  they  prolonged  their  pleasure  until  they 
came  very  near  being  left  behind  by  the  Tonquin,  was 
looked  upon  in  vastly  different  light  by  Captain  Thorn 
and  the  hunters. 

The  vessel  made  good  time,  and  doubled  Cape  Horn 
on  Christmas  Day,  and  Franche>e  mentions  that  on 
this  date  he  could  "read  on  deck  at  midnight,  without 
artificial  light."  By  the  early  part  of  February,  they 
sighted  the  Sandwich  Islands.  Visits  of  ceremony  were 
exchanged  with  the  King  of  the  Islands,  the  partners 
returning  his  visit  clad  in  plaids  and  kilts.  It  was  a 
part  of  Mr.  Astor's  plan  to  establish  friendly  relations 
with  the  islanders,  and  at  some  future  date  purchase 
one  of  the  islands  as  a  fur  station,  since  their  position 
made  them  important  stopping  places  on  the  way  to 
China,  or  the  Northwest  coast  of  America. 

While  diplomatic  negotations  were  going  on  between 
the  partners  and  the  King,  Captain  Thorn  was  engaged 
in  laying  in  supplies  of  goats,  sheep,  hogs  and  poultry, 
besides  water  and  vegetables;  which  to  his  practical 
mind  seemed  of  greater  importance. 

Running  through  severe  storms,  they  arrived  safely 

161 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

in  sight  of  their  destination  on  March  22nd,  1811,  hav- 
ing sailed  twenty  thousand  miles  since  they  left  Sandy 
Hook,  occupying  in  all  one  hundred  and  ninety  days. 

They  found  the  waves  beating  in  furious  surges  over 
the  bar  at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia.  In  finding  a 
channel  through  which  they  might  enter,  twice  over  a 
boat-load  of  men  were  lost  in  the  breakers,  or  carried 
away  by  the  fierce  current, — initial  disasters  keenly 
felt  by  all  on  board.  Though  they  searched  the  sea 
with  glasses,  and  scoured  the  shore  later,  only  two  of 
their  comrades  were  afterward  found  alive. 

The  ship  was  at  length  safely  anchored  in  Baker's 
Bay,  within  Cape  Disappointment,  which  terminated  in 
a  high  point  of  laud  crowned  with  pine  trees.  This  prom- 
ontory formed  the  north  side  of  the  entrance  to  the 
Columbia.  Four  Indian  tribes  inhabited  the  near 
neighborhood,  living  chiefly  by  fishing,  their  canoes  cut 
from  the  trunks  of  single  trees,  sometimes  as  long  as 
fifty  feet.  The  adventurers  selected  a  site  for  their 
establishment,  on  a  tongue  of  land  called  "  Point 
George,"  which  had  a  very  good  harbor. 

"We  imagained  ourselves  in  the  garden  of  Eden," 
wrote  Franchere.  The  forests  seemed  to  us  delightful 
groves,  and  the  leaves  transformed  to  brilliant  flowers. ' ' 

Goods  were  landed,  trees  cut  down,  thickets  cleared 
away,  the  angles  of  the  fort  traced;  after  which  a  resi- 


162 


If 

I! 


Voyage  of  the  Tonquin 


dence,  store-house,  and  powder-magazine  were  erected 
out  of  logs  covered  with  bark.  They  had  brought  tim- 
bers for  a  coasting  vessel,  and  these  were  put  together, 
while  others  of  the  party  made  garden  and  sowed 
vegetable  seed,  to  supply  their  future  needs. 

The  post  was  named  "Astoria  '  <tftrr  its  promoter  and 
supporter,  and  thus  was  founded  the  first  United  States 
settlement  ever  begun  on  the  Pacific,  and  John  Jacob 
Astor's  vast  enterprise  seemed  to  be  well  started. 

While  looking  for  a  suitable  site,  McKay  and  Mc- 
Dougal  had  visited  the  village  of  the  Chinooks,  the  flat- 
headed  tribe  who  were  their  nearest  neighbors,  and 
made  acquaintance  with  Comcomly,  their  one-eyed 
chief.  They  were  hospitably  received  with  a  feast  of 
fish  and  game,  after  which  Comcoraly's  wife  and 
daughters  devoted  themselves  to  the  entertainment  of 
their  guests. 

McDougal  had  introduced  himself  and  his  companion 
as  two  chiefs  of  a  great  trading  company,  and  Comcom- 
ly had  sufficient  familiarity  in  trading  with  the  whites, 
to  recognize  the  value  of  an  alliance  with  the  new 
establishment. 

Three  months  later  the  Tonquin  sailed  on  her  first 
business  venture.  According  to  Mr.  Astor's  orders,  she 
was  to  coast  along  toward  the  north,  and  enter  the 
various  harbors,  in  order  to  procure  as  many  furs  as 


163 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

possible  from  the  Indians,  touching  at  Astoria  in  the 
autumn,  and  picking  up  such  furs  as  they  might  have 
gathered  during  the  summer,  before  making  her  way  to 
Canton.  Alexender  McKay  accompanied  the  ship  as 
supercargo,  taking  young  Lewis  with  him  as  ship's 
clerk.  There  were  twenty  others  of  the  party  also  on 
board. 

The  Tonquin  had  hardly  sailed  out  of  sight,  when 
reports  reached  those  at  the  fort,  that  a  party  of  white 
men  were  building  houses  at  the  second  rapids  of  the 
Columbia.  A  reconnoitering  party  was  at  once  sent  up 
the  river  as  far  as  the  falls,  meeting  with  some  warlike 
Indians  on  the  way,  whom  they  were  fortunate  enough 
to  appease  with  gifts;  but  no  rival  company  was  dis- 
covered, and  the  little  party  returned. 

The  report  was  later  confirmed  by  two  Indians, 
that  the  Northwest  Company  was  building  a  trading 
post  on  the  Spokane  River,  where  it  joined  the  Colum- 
bia. Preparations  were  immediately  made  to  advance 
a  counter  check  to  this  post  on  the  Spokane,  and  David 
Stuart  with  eight  men  and  a  supply  of  goods,  were 
nearly  ready  to  set  out,  when  a  canoe  manned  by 
white  men,  with  the  British  ensign  flying,  stopped  in 
front  of  the  fort. 

Their  leader  proved  to  be  David  Thompson,  who  had 
been  despatched  by  the  Northwest  Company  the  previ- 

164 


Voyage  of  the  Tonquin 


ous  year,  to  forestall  Mr.  Astor  on  the  Columbia.  Half 
of  his  party  had  deserted  him  east  of  the  Rockies,  but  he 
had  crossed  the  mountains  with  eight  men.  Duncan 
McDougal  received  Thompson  cordially,  entertaining 
him  while  he  staid,  and  fitting  him  out  for  his  return 
with  goods  and  provisions,  to  the  marked  disapproval 
of  other  employes  of  the  Astor  Company. 

Stuart  and  Thompson  set  out  together  on  their  trip 
up  river.  They  passed  high  rocky  shores  and  low 
marshy  islands,  wildly  dashing  falls  and  rapids,  and 
many  bays  and  indentations.  Tall  pines  lifted  them- 
selves to  the  skies  from  the  uplands,  sometimes  two  or 
three  hundred  feet  in  height,  and  of  large  girth.  Out 
of  trees  such  as  these  the  Indians  fashioned  their  longest 
canoes. 

Thompson  suggested  a  number  of  good  sites  for  a 
post  as  they  traveled  along,  but  Stuart  did  not  trust 
his  adviser.  However,  he  stopped  at  one  of  these  favor- 
able points  until  Thompson  was  out  of  sight,  then  moved 
on,  choosing  the  position  of  his  own  trading  post  about 
one  hundred  and  forty  miles  from  the  Spokane  River. 
From  the  drift  wood  that  collected  in  quantities  in  the 
bends  of  the  river,  they  built  a  house,  and  thus  es- 
tablished the  first  interior  post  of  the  American  Trad- 
ing Company. 


165 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

On  their  way  they  had  passed  an  interesting  fishing 
center,  which  afterward  became  a  place  of  considerable 
importance  in  the  adventures  of  the  little  colony.  The 
"Long  Narrows,"  three  miles  in  length,  was  the  great 
fishing  place  of  the  Indians.  Here  salmon  abounded  in 
the  river  in  large  numbers,  and  Indians,  standing  on 
the  rocks  scooped  them  up  in  nets  hung  from  long 
poles.  The  village  of  Wish-ram  at  the  head  of  the  Long 
Narrows,  proved  to  be  an  Indian  trading  mart,  from 
which  center,  salmon, — dried,  cured,  and  packed, — was 
exchanged  with  the  tribes  from  the  Rocky  Mountains, 
for  horses,  bear  grease,  quamash,  and  other  articles  of 
the  interior ;  and  with  the  tribes  from  the  mouth  of  the 
Columbia,  for  the  fish  of  the  sea  coast,  roots,  berries, 
wappatoo,  and  goods  and  trinkets  obtained  from  trad- 
ing vessels. 

The  Indians  of  Wish-ram  were  a  piratical  band  as 
well  as  good  traders,  given  to  taking  toll  of  all  who 
passed  through  the  Long  Narrows. 

Some  rumors  of  a  conspiracy  among  the  Indians, 
caused  the  Astorians  at  the  fort  to  hasten  their  de- 
fenses for  refuge.  In  a  few  days  their  dwelling  house 
and  magazine  were  surrounded  with  palisades  ninety 
feet  square,  flanked  by  two  bastions  on  which  were 
mounted  four,  four-pounders. 

In  the  midst  of  this  anxiety,  a  report  reached  them 


166 


Voya&e  of  the  Tonquin 


of  disaster  to  the  Tonquin.  The  rumor  was  not 
credited  until  repeated  later  by  a  second  tribe  of  In- 
dians, who  had  come  to  fish  for  sturgeon  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Columbia. 

The  Tonquin  had  made  her  way  up  the  coast  buying 
furs  when  offered.  At  one  of  her  stops  an  Indian, 
named  Lamazee,  was  engaged  as  interpreter.  About 
the  middle  of  June  the  ship  entered  Nootka  Sound, 
and  anchored  at  a  large  Indian  village  called  Newity. 
Though  the  interpreter  warned  Captain  Thorn  against 
the  natives  of  this  section,  they  at  first  seemed  friendly, 
and  Mr.  McKay,  who  had  a  wide  experience 
with  savage  tribes,  accepted  the  invitation  of  one  of 
the  chiefs,  and  spent  the  night  on  the  island. 

The  next  morning  the  Indians  came  aboard  to  trade, 
bringing  an  abundance  of  sea-otter  skins.  Captain  Thorn 
spread  out  his  blankets,  knives,  beads  and  fish  hooks, 
but  the  Indians  asked  exorbitant  prices  for  the  skins, 
and  at  last  an  old  chief,  following  the  Captain  back  and 
forth  with  a  roll  of  furs,  began  to  jeer  and  banter  him 
on  the  mean  prices  he  offered.  Whereupon  Captain 
Thorn  lost  his  last  remnant  of  patience,  and  grasping 
the  skins,  threw  them  in  the  Indian 's  face,  ordering  him 
and  his  companions  from  the  ship.  The  old  chief  left 
in  a  passion,  and  the  rest  of  the  Indians  followed 
breathing  vengance. 


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The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

Early  the  next  morning  they  again  appeared  along- 
side, their  grievances  apparently  forgotten.  They  were 
unarmed  and  appeared  friendly,  holding  up  skins  for 
sale.  Mr.  Astor 's  directions  to  only  allow  a  few  Indians 
on  board  at  a  time  had  been  forgotten,  and  the  officer 
of  the  watch  allowed  as  many  as  would  to  clamber  upon 
deck. 

Immediately  the  buying  and  selling  commenced,  the 
Indians  allowing  the  white  men  to  set  the  prices.  Many 
of  them  purchased  knives.  Canoe  load  after  canoe  load 
arrived  till  the  deck  was  full  of  savages,  whose  friendly 
aspect  began  to  give  place  to  scowls  and  menace. 
Lamazee,  the  interpreter,  suspected  that  weapons  were 
hidden  in  bundles  of  furs.  Mr.  McKay  became  alarmed 
and  suggested  that  the  ship  be  gotten  under  way  at 
once 

The  anchor  was  nearly  up  and  the  sails  loose,  when 
the  Captain  ordered  the  ship  cleared.  With  a  fierce 
yell  Indian  knives  and  war-clubs  were  brandished  in 
every  direction.  Not  a  man  of  the  ship's  crew  was 
armed.  Young  Lewis  was  the  first  to  fall,  receiving  a 
deadly  blow  that  knocked  him  down  the  companionway. 
Mr.  McKay  sprang  to  his  feet,  but  was  knocked  over 
board  and  killed  from  the  canoes.  Captain  Thorn  made 
a  desperate  fight  with  nothing  but  his  clasp  knife  for 
a  weapon,  but  was  stabbed  to  death  on  his  own  deck. 

168 


Voyage  of  the  Tonquin 


The  Astorians  fought  bravely  and  recklessly,  but  un- 
armed, they  stood  no  chance  in  the  fierce  onslaught. 
Five  sailors  who  had  been  aloft,  let  themselves  down 
by  the  rigging,  and  dashed  for  the  steerage  hatch. 
Here  they  broke  through  into  the  cabin,  where  they 
found  young  Lewis.  Barricading  themselves,  they 
opened  a  fire  with  their  muskets  that  soon  cleared  the 
deck.  The  Indians  fled  leaving  their  dead  behind 
them.  The  rest  of  the  day  and  night  all  was  quiet. 
The  Tonquin  lay  still  in  the  bay,  her  sails  loose  and 
flapping  in  the  wind,  no  sign  of  life  upon  her. 

The  Indians  no  doubt  meant  to  avenge  the  insult  that 
had  been  offered  them,  but  they  had  also  sworn  to  be 
avenged  on  the  next  ship  that  entered  the  Sound,  be- 
cause of  the  cruel  action  of  an  earlier  skipper,  who  had 
marooned  twelve  of  their  tribe  on  a  barren  coast  hun- 
dreds of  miles  away.  The  next  ship  to  enter  the  Sound 
was  the  ill-fated  Tonquin. 

Cautiously  the  Indians  paddled  about  the  ship  once 
more  when  day  dawned.  One  man  appeared  on  deck 
and  motioned  them  aboard,  then  disappeared.  There 
seemed  to  be  nothing  to  fear,  and  the  swarming  Indians 
boarded  their  prize.  In  the  midst  of  their  exultation, 
with  a  thundering  noise  the  ship  blew  up,  carrying  into 
eternity,  over  two  hundred  savages,  and  with  them  any 


169 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

adventurer  who  may  still  have  been  alive  upon  the 
vessel. 

This  terrible  revenge  has  been  variously  attributed  to 
Lewis,  the  young  secretary,  and  to  Weeks  the  armorer, 
who  had  been  mortally  wounded  while  escaping  from 
the  rigging.  Ross  Cox  is  authority  for  the  statement 
that  the  four  sailors,  who  escaped  in  a  boat  early  in 
the  morning,  lighted  a  slow  train  before  leaving  the 
ship.  All  four  sailors  were  later  captured  and  killed 
by  the  Indians.  The  interpreter  was  saved,  though 
made  a  slave.  He  escaped  months  later,  and  brought 
the  detailed  story  of  the  bloody  tragedy  to  Astoria. 

The  loss  of  the  Tonquin,  with  all  on  board,  was  a 
grevious  blow  to  the  infant  trading  post.  Back  in  New 
York,  Mr.  Astor,  remembering  his  careful  instructions, 
awaited  news  which  did  not  reach  him  for  many 
months.  When  it  did,  he  spoke  of  it  as  a  "calamity 
the  length  of  which  he  could  not  foresee." 

He  sought  however  immediately  for  a  remedy;  and 
the  same  evening  appeared  at  the  theater,  strong  and 
composed.  A  friend  expressed  his  surprise  at  his 
calmness,  after  such  disastrous  tidings. 

''What  would  you  have  me  do?"  was  the  staunch 
reply.  "Would  you  have  me  stay  at  home  and  weep 
for  what  I  cannot  help  ? ' ' 

With  the  loss  of  the  Tonquin  and  her  crew,  it  was 

170 


Voya&e  of  the  Tonquin 

felt  that  something  must  be  done  to  emphasize  the 
strength  of  the  remainder  of  the  post.  In  this  emer- 
gency, McDougal  gathered  the  chieftains  who  were  be- 
lieved to  have  been  in  the  conspiracy,  and  told  them  he 
had  heard  of  the  treachery  of  some  of  their  Northern 
brethren  toward  the  Tonquin,  and  was  planning  ven- 
geance. 

He  said  their  white  camp  was  small  in  number,  but 
mighty  in  medicine,  "In  this  bottle,"  he  declared,  "I 
hold  the  smallpox  safely  corked.  I  have  but  to  draw 
the  cork,  and  let  loose  the  pestilence  to  sweep  man. 
woman  and  child  from  the  face  of  the  earth." 

The  chieftans  knew  the  dire  effects  of  smallpox 
among  their  people,  and  they  begged  that  the  wrong 
doing  of  other  tribes  should  not  be  avenged  upon  them, 
swearing  friendship  to  the  white  men. 

McDougal  promised  as  long  as  the  whites  were  un- 
molested, the  vial  of  wrath  should  remain  sealed,  but 
should  enmity  be  shown,  the  cork  would  at  once  be 
drawn.  This  event  won  McDougal  tin1  name  of  the 
"Great  Smallpox  Chief." 

A  large  house  of  stone  cemented  with  clay,  was 
finished  by  October.  The  schooner  which  they  had  been 
building,  was  also  launched  and  christened  "The 
Dolly,"  in  honor  of  Mrs.  Astor. 

A  detachment  from  David  Stuart's  post  arrived  with 

171 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

favorable  accounts  of  their  camp,  but  the  decision  of 
their  leader  was  to  divide  the  little  force,  since  there 
might  not  be  provision  for  all  during  the  winter.  David 
Stuart,  with  three  other  stout-hearted  men,  remained 
for  the  winter  in  the  depths  of  a  savage  wilderness, 
seven  hundred  miles  from  the  main  body  of  the  ad- 
venturers. 

The  long  rainy  season  was  just  ahead,  and  the  Indians 
drew  into  the  shelter  of  the  forest  further  inland.  With 
their  departure  provisions  became  scanty,  and  the  ad- 
venturers had  need  to  depend  on  the  precarious  hunt  of 
one  of  the  natives  who  had  not  abandoned  them,  when 
the  rest  of  their  countrymen  retired.  The  ordinary 
price  of  a  stag,  when  they  were  lucky  enough  to  get  one, 
was  a  "a  blanket,  a  knife,  some  tobacco,  powder  and 
ball,  besides  supplying  the  hunter  with  a  musket."  The 
Dolly  was  also  sent  on  foraging  expeditions. 

But  in  spite  of  all  drawbacks,  the  little  post  of  Astoria 
kept  up  its  courage,  and  ushered  in  the  year  1812 
with  a  beating  of  drums,  discharging  of  cannon  and  the 
hoisting  of  colors.  A  good  dinner  was  served,  and  the 
Canadian  voyageurs  ended  the  celebration  by  dancing 
till  three  in  the  morning. 


172 


CHAPTER  XXI. 
OVER  THE  ROCKIES  TO  ASTORIA. 

WILSON  P.  Hunt,  of  Trenton,  New  Jersey, 
whom  Mr.  Astor  had  selected  to  lead  the  ex- 
pedition overland,  and  locate  his  intended 
chain  of  forts,  was  a  man  of  decision  and  resource. 
Associated  with  him  was  Donald  McKenzie,  another 
partner,  who  supplemented  Mr.  Hunt's  qualifications 
by  ten  years'  service  in  the  Northwest  Company,  a 
knowledge  of  woodcraft  and  Indian  character  in  the 
open. 

Hunt  and  McKenzie  arrived  at  Montreal  on  June 
10th,  1811.  Both  here,  and  later  at  Michilimackinac 
and  St.  Louis,  the  influence  of  the  Northwest  Company 
was  so  strong,  that  Mr.  Hunt  found  difficulty  in  obtain- 
ing the  best  quality  of  men  for  the  journey,  but  when 
the  party  was  made  up,  the  voyageurs  were  proud  to 
include  themselves  in  "a  new  company  that  was  to 
eclipse  the  Northwest." 

At  Mackinaw  they  were  reinforced  by  an  energetic 
young  Scotch  partner,  Ramsey  Crooks;  and  at  St 

173 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

Louis,  by  Mr.  Joseph  Miller,  and  an  additional  number 
of  hunters  and  boatmen. 

They  left  the  latter  place  in  three  boats,  a  Mackinaw 
barge;  a  Schenectady  barge  such  as  were  in  use  on  tho 
Mohawk ;  and  a  Mississippi  keel  boat ;  all  provided  with 
masts  and  sails  to  be  used  if  the  wind  were  favorable. 
The  difficulties  of  their  course  up  the  Missouri  found 
the  voyageurs  at  their  best.  Plying  their  oars,  drawing 
their  boats  along  shore,  or  wading  in  the  shallow  water, 
they  were  patient  and  fertile  in  expedient,  whipping  up 
their  flagging  courage  with  cheerful  boat  songs. 

Four  hundred  and  fifty  miles  up  the  Missouri,  at  No- 
dowa,  where  they  arrived  Nov.  16th,  they  decided  to 
make  their  winter  camp,  and  two  days  later  the  river 
froze  above  them.  Here  they  were  joined  by  another 
partner,  Robert  McLellan,  a  daring  Missouri  trader, 
and  John  Day,  a  hunter  from  Virginia.  Game  was 
plenty  and  leaving  his  party  well-cared  for,  Mr.  Hunt 
made  a  trip  back  to  St.  Louis,  where  he  secured  Pierre 
Dorion,  a  French  half-breed,  who  had  accompanied  Lewis 
and  Clark  across  the  mountains,  as  interpreter,  upon 
condition  of  their  accepting  his  Indian  wife,  and  two 
small  children  as  members  of  the  party. 

On  their  journey  back  to  camp  they  met  Daniel 
Boone,  the  famous  old  hunter  of  Kentucky,  who  gloried 
in  keeping  in  advance  of  civilization, — a  sentinel  of  the 

174 


Over  the  Rockies 


frontier.  Though  in  his  eighty-fifth  year,  he  had  re- 
cently returned  to  his  headquarters,  the  little  French 
village  of  Charette,  with  nearly  sixty  beaver  skins 
as  trophies  of  his  hunter's  skill.  He  watched  them 
off  from  the  river  bank,  no  doubt  feeling  that  he  would 
once  have  been  a  part  of  the  expedition. 

After  the  rainy  season  was  over  at  Nodowa,  they 
broke  camp  and  continued  their  journey.  In  all  they 
counted  sixty  men,  for  they  had  been  joined  by  two 
scientists,  Mr.  John  Bradbury  and  Mr.  Nuttall;  and 
also, — as  they  were  several  times  afterward, — by  hardy 
trappers  and  hunters,  singly  or  in  pairs,  who  overtook 
them  in  canoes  or  in  the  depths  of  the  wilderness.  These 
fearless  wanderers  were  glad  to  join  themselves  to  an 
expedition  which  accorded  with  their  own  views  and 
type  of  life. 

They  breakfasted  one  morning  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Platte  River,  where  they  found  the  frame  of  a  skin 
canoe,  in  which  a  section  of  an  Indian  war  party  had 
traveled  the  river.  At  night  the  reflection  of  burning 
prairies  hung  in  the  sky.  Once  a  band  of  eleven  Sioux 
warriors,  stark  naked,  with  tomahawks  in  their  hands, 
sprang  with  a  fearful  yell  into  their  camp.  They  were 
on  guard,  and  seizing  the  intruders  found  this  was  a 
special  exploit  to  cover  the  disgrace  of  having  failed  in 
war.  The  Indians  were  allowed  to  go,  only  with  a 


175 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

threat  of  sure  death  if  they  were  caught  in  any  act  of 
enmity. 

Moving  on,  Mr.  Hunt's  party  camped  at  Omaha,  a 
village  of  eight  lodges,  consisting  of  tents  of  buffalo 
skins  painted  red  or  yellow,  and  adorned  with  figures  of 
horses,  deer  and  buffalo, — and  sometimes  human  faces. 
In  writing  to  Mr.  Astor  at  this  stage  of  the  journey,  Mr. 
Hunt  reported  that  "the  Indian  tribes  along  the  river 
are  at  continual  war  with  each  other,  in  its  most  blood- 
thirsty and  cruel  forms. ' ' 

Mr.  Hunt  pressed  forward  as  rapidly  as  possible,  that 
they  might  pass  quickly  through  the  danger  belt,  where 
they  were  continually  informed  that  warlike  Indians 
were  waiting  near  at  hand  to  oppose  their  progress. 
They  avoided  the  banks  of  the  streams,  and  hunted 
only  on  the  islands.  On  one  of  these  they  killed  three 
buffaloes  and  two  elks.  It  was  May  now,  and  the  prai- 
ries were  carpeted  in  •  brilliant  colored  flowers,  while 
the  buffalo,  elk  and  antelope  had  woven  paths  among 
the  trees  and  thickets,  resembling  highways. 

A  month  later  they  discovered  Indian  spies  on  a 
bluff,  who  galloped  off  to  give  notice  of  their  pres- 
ence. There  proved  to  be  six  hundred  savages  in  all 
set  on  preventing  their  approach.  To  pass  them  was 
impossible,  and  Mr.  Hunt's  party  prepared  to  fight, 
but  the  loading  and  discharging  of  two  howitzers 


176 


Over  the  Rockies 


mounted  on  the  boats,  had  a  marked  effect  among  the 
Indians. 

Buffalo  robes  were  raised  above  the  red  men's  heads, 
then  spread  on  the  ground  as  an  invitation  to  a  con- 
ference, and  what  had  looked  like  a  bloody  affray  end- 
ed in  a  peace  council  with  the  Sioux.  Mr.  Hunt's  party 
explained  their  intentions  to  join  their  brothers,  at  the 
great  salt  lake  in  the  west.  Presents  of  corn  and  to- 
bacco softened  the  chieftain's  heart,  and  he,  in  tuna, 
explained  that  they  were  opposing  the  passage  of  sup- 
plies and  ammunition  to  tribes  with  whom  they  were 
at  war. 

Another  time,  having  refused  some  Indians  presents, 
to  the  extent  they  claimed,  they  were  again  looking 
for  attack,  and  dividing  the  party,  took  the  channels 
either  side  of  a  long  island,  in  order  to  watch  the  oppo- 
site banks.  Mr.  Hunt's  party,  finding  themselves  far 
up  a  narrow  channel  in  shallow  water,  turned  back.  At 
this  moment  two  pistol  shots,  the  signal  of  danger, 
sounded  from  the  opposite  stream,  and  they  discovered 
the  bluffs  over  their  heads,  and  opposite  the  end  of  the 
sand  bar  which  they  must  pass  in  returning,  filled  with 
warriors  armed  with  bows  and  arrows.  The  situation 
was  critical  in  the  extreme.  The  opposite  party,  who 
had  progressed  much  further  up  their  channel,  knew 


177 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

the  danger  would  bc^  upon  their  comrades  before  thoy 
could  reach  them. 

Mr.  Hunt's  company  having  no  alternative,  daunt- 
lessly  approached  the  point  of  danger,  and  to  their 
surprise,  the  Indians  threw  away  their  weapons  and 
plunged  into  the  water,  crowding  around  the  boat  and 
trying  to  shake  hands.  The  relief  was  immense,  to  find 
these  Indians  the  friendly  Arickaras,  Mandaua  and 
Minatarees  out  against  the  Sioux.  Again  the  peace  pipe 
was  smoked,  the  Indians  offering  assistance  when  their 
village  was  reached. 

As  the  adventurers  advanced,  the  broad  wastes  were 
more  and  more  alive  with  herds  of  buffaloes.  Sometimes 
they  moved  in  long  processions,  and  sometimes  gath- 
ered in  groups.  At  times  the  shores  were  lined  with  the 
great  animals,  and  many  crossed  the  streams  near 
enough  for  the  marksmen  to  reach  them  with  their 
guns.  Besides  the  buffalo  there  were  many  deer,  gangs 
of  elk,  and  troops  of  graceful  antelopes. 

John  Day  caught  an  antelope  by  lying  down  flat  in 
the  grass,  with  his  handkerchief  waving  gently  from 
the  end  of  his  ramrod.  The  antelope  drew  curiously 
nearer  and  nearer,  until  within  range  of  Day's  rifle; 
then  his  fate  was  sealed. 

Arriving  at  the  village  of  the  Arickaras,  they  found 
preparation  under  way  for  a  council.  Mr.  Hunt  stated 


178 


Over  the  Rockies 


again  their  purpose  in  traveling  through  the  country, 
and  asked  for  horses  with  which  to  pursue  their  jour 
ney,  offering  generous  payment  in  goods.  The  left- 
handed  chieftain  promised  friendship,  but  said  they 
had  not  the  number  of  horses  to  spare.  Whereupon, 
Gray  Eyes,  another  chief,  declared  he  could  supply  Mr. 
Hunt  with  all  the  horses  he  might  want,  for  if  they 
lacked  the  requisite  number,  they  could  easily  steal 
more. 

Horses  were  put  through  their  paces,  and  the  Aric- 
karas  rode  about  showing  their  dexterity  and  horse- 
manship. When  a  horse  was  purchased  by  the  whites,  the 
tail  was  cropped  as  a  mode  of  distinguishing  owner- 
ship. A  victorious  war  party  returned  with  scalps 
while  the  sale  was  going  on,  and  there  was  wild  exulta- 
tion among  the  Indians.  Arraying  themselves  in  paint 
and  feathers,  and  embroidered  buffalo  robes  some- 
times fringed  with  the  slender  hoofs  of  young  fawns,  they 
celebrated  the  victory  with  intense  excitement,  mingled 
with  weeping  and  wailing  for  those  who  had  fallen. 

Some  of  Mr.  Hunt's  men  having  listened  to  the 
stories  of  the  trackless  desert,  the  lack  of  food  and 
water,  and  the  Indians  lurking  in  the  defiles  of  the 
Black  Hills,  beyond  which  rose  the  stern  barriers  of 
the  Rockies,  lost  heart  and  prepared  to  desert ;  but  the 
plan  was  discovered  and  frustrated. 


179 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

They  had  only  been  able  to  purchase  eighty-two 
horses  from  the  Arickaras,  and  set  out  with  most  of 
them  laden  with  Indian  goods,  beaver  traps,  ammuni- 
tion, Indian  corn  and  other  necessities.  Each  of  the 
partners  and  the  interpreter  were  mounted,  but  the 
men  were  forced  to  travel  afoot.  An  interpreter  for  the 
Crows,  a  thievish  tribe  who  infested  the  skirts  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  was  discovered  in  a  lonely  hunter, 
and  thus  equipped  the  party  set  out. 

They  had  been  advised  to  take  a  more  southerly 
route  than  that  of  Lewis  and  Clark,  and  directed  their 
course  first  toward  the  south,  and  later  toward  the 
northwest,  in  order  to  avoid  the  Blackfeet  Indians,  a 
ferocious  tribe,  who  put  to  death  all  white  men  who 
fell  into  their  hands. 

Traveling  over  immense  prairies,  they  reached  what 
they  called  the  "Big  River,"  and  camped  there  several 
days,  to  lay  in  a  supply  of  buffalo  meat;  and  were 
also  able  to  buy  some  extra  horses  from  friendly  Chey- 
ennes. 

An  intrigue  was  discovered  headed  by  the  Crow  in- 
terpreter, who  was  planning  to  steal  large  amounts  of 
trading  goods  and  horses,  and  join  the  Crows  in  the 
mountains;  consequently  a  close  watch  was  kept  on 
both  interpreter  and  men.  Pierre  Dorion  and  two  oth- 
ers who  were  lost  for  days,  in  spite  of  the  great  signal  fires 


180 


Over  the  Rockies 


built  to  guide  them  by  columns  of  smoke.  They  came 
into  camp  at  last,  weary  and  bedraggled.  About  this 
time  Mr.  Hunt  won  over  the  interpreter  to  the  Crows, 
by  giving  him  permission  to  join  that  tribe  when  they 
came  across  a  party  of  them,  and  offering  him  horses 
and  goods  when  he  left  them. 

At  the  edge  of  the  Black  Hills  they  found  black- 
tailed  deer  and  big-horns  abounding,  and  sometimes 
discovered  themselves  to  be  in  the  haunts  of  the  grizzly 
bear.  Both  Indians  and  whites  considered  the  grizzly 
big  game.  John  Day  shot  one  of  these  fierce  animals,  but 
another  poor  fellow  had  a  different  experience.  He 
was  a  poor  shot,  and  after  much  practicing  at  marks, 
had  killed  a  buffalo,  to  his  joy.  Returning  to  camp 
with  rare  bits  of  its  meat  to  prove  his  victory,  he  found 
himself  chased  by  a  grizzly.  Dropping  the  meat  he  ran 
at  break-neck  speed.  But  the  bear  ignored  the  meat, 
and  kept  up  the  chase  until  the  hunter  was  almost  over- 
taken, when  he  had  the  good  fortune  to  reach  a  tree, 
which,  dropping  his  rifle,  he  hastily  climbed,  and  the 
grizzly  took  up  his  watch  beneath.  All  night  long  the 
hunter  held  to  his  cramped  position,  supremely  thank- 
ful when  daylight  came,  to  find  the  enemy  gone.  His 
return  to  camp  was  not  what  he  had  expected,  but  still 
had  its  compensations. 

They  traveled  toward  the  mountains  over  a   rough 


181 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 


and  rugged  Crow  trail  through  the  hills,  where  they 
found  neither  water  nor  game,  and  lived  mostly  on  a 
very  small  allowance  of  corn  meal.  After  long  tramp- 
ing, a  stream  was  hailed  with  devout  thankfulness  as 
were  also  the  buffaloes  on  its  banks.  For  days  they 
directed  their  march  toward  a  high  mountain  which 
proved  to  be  one  of  the  Big  Horn  chain,  one  hundred 
and  fifty  miles  away. 

The  interpreter  to  the  Crows  led  them  through  the 
mountain  trail,  and  although  the  weather  was  frosty 
and  the  path  rugged,  they  found  grassy  glens  and 
sparkling  brooks,  as  well  as  berries  and  currants  by  the 
wayside.  They  ran  across  a  whole  party  of  Crow  In- 
dians going  their  way,  men,  women  and  children  all 
mounted,  and  for  a  time  were  forced  to  travel  to- 
gether. In  the  end  the  Crows  outstripped  the  adven- 
turers, and  they  were  glad  to  see  them  disappear,  ac- 
companied by  the  interpreter. 

Once  a  small  party  of  Flatheads  and  Snake  Indians 
became  their  guides  for  a  couple  of  days,  camping  near 
them  at  night,  and  joining  them  in  the  hunt  the  next 
day.  They  crossed  and  recrossed  the  windings  of  the 
Wind  River  for  eighty  miles.  Turning  toward  a  stream 
to  the  southwest, — hoping  to  find  buffaloes  on  its  banks, 
—from  a  high  hill  the  guides  pointed  out  three  snowy 
mountain  peaks,  above  a  fork  of  the  Columbia  river, 


182 


Over  the  Rockies 


which  hunters  called  "The  Three  Tetons."  This  an- 
nouncement was  met  with  great  rejoicing,  and  Mr. 
Hunt  named  the  peaks  the  "Pilot  Knobs,"  since  they 
were  to  become  their  guides  for  some  time  to  come. 

Within  the  next  few  days  they  struck  a  branch  of 
the  Colorado,  called  the  Spanish  River,  abounding  in 
geese  and  ducks  and  signs  of  beaver  and  otter,  and  on 
one  of  its  small  tributaries  found  the  last  of  the  buf- 
falo herds.  Camping  here,  they  hunted  and  jerked 
meat  for  five  days,  since  this  would  probably  be  their 
final  supply  until  they  reached  the  fish  of  the  Colum- 
bia. Here  they  saw  Snake  Indians  killing  buffaloes 
with  arrows.  Coming  up  with  them,  they  were  able  to 
buy  both  dried  meat  and  beaver  skins  from  them,  and 
make  arrangements  for  future  trade  in  peltries. 

On  the  24th  of  September,  they  drew  near  to  the 
"Pilot  Knobs,"  having  reached  the  heights  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  and  were  overjoyed  to  have  their 
guides  point  out  to  them,  a  little  later,  the  Lewis  or 
Snake  River  in  the  distance,  the  great  south  branch  of 
the  Columbia.  On  reaching  this  stream  they  felt  the 
harder  part  of  the  way  was  covered,  and  from  now  on 
they  would  be  on  the  home  stretch,  but  they  little 
guessed  what  was  before  them. 

This  stream  was  joined  by  one  of  greater  width  ami 
swifter  current,  which  they  called  the  *  *  Mad  River. ' '  Here 


183 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

it  was  decided  they  would  change  horses  for  canoes, 
part  of  the  men  being  detailed  to  fell  trees  of  sufficient 
size  for  canoes,  others  to  march  along  the  stream  for 
several  days  and  examine  its  navigable  possibilities. 

At  the  head- waters  of  the  Columbia,  Mr.  Astor 's 
plans  for  trapping  began,  and  trappers  were  paired  off 
and  supplied  with  horses,  provisions,  traps,  arms  and 
ammunition,  with  which  they  were  to  trap  for  months 
on  the  neighboring  streams,  bringing  their  collections 
of  peltries  to  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia,  or  any  inter- 
mediate post  which  might  be  established.  To  the  sur- 
prise of  all,  Mr.  Miller  joined  one  of  these  trapping 
parties. 

Finding  the  Mad  River  unnavigable,  they  were  ad- 
vised by  their  guides  to  make  for  the  post  established 
the  previous  year  by  Mr.  Henry,  of  the  Missouri  Fur 
Company,  on  an  upper  branch  of  the  Columbia.  Two 
Snake  Indians  guided  them  to  the  abandoned  post, 
over  an  intervening  ridge  of  mountains  in  the  face  of 
four  days'  wind  and  snow.  They  gladly  took  possession 
of  the  deserted  log  huts,  which  Mr.  Hunt  determined 
to  make  a  trading  post. 

Ten  days  later,  on  the  18th  of  October,  they  had 
completed  fifteen  canoes  and  the  party  embarked,  leav- 
ing their  horses  in  charge  of  the  two  Snake  Indians 
with  rewards  for  their  care.  The  tributary  on  which 


184 


Over  the  Rockies 


they  started  out  ran  into  the  broader  Snake  River, 
which  very  soon  was  full  of  boisterous  rapids,  running 
beneath  steep  precipices.  Sometimes  they  were 
obliged  to  pass  their  canoes  down  cautiously  by  a  line 
from  the  perpendicular  rocks.  They  had  reached  an 
unknown  wilderness  of  vast  mountains,  unexplored  by 
white  men,  with  no  wigwams  on  the  banks  and  no  ca- 
noes on  the  streams. 

The  solitary  beaver  proved  the  undisturbed  charac- 
ter of  his  surroundings,  by  choosing  his  home  along  the 
route  they  traveled.  The  party  had  covered  two  hun- 
dred and  eighty  miles  before  they  began  to  run  across 
small  bands  of  Indians,  who  fled  at  their  approach. 
The  voyage  became  even  more  rough.  One  of  the  canoes 
struck  a  rock,  split  and  overturned,  with  the  loss  of  the 
steersman,  one  of  the  most  competent  of  the  Canadians. 
This  catastrophe  cast  a  gloom  over  the  whole  company. 

They  had  now  arrived  at  a  terrific  strait  only  thirty 
feet  wide,  between  ledges  of  rock  two  hundred  feet 
bigh,  the  compressed  river  whirling  and  boiling  in  a 
great  whirlpool.  The  adventurers  gave  it  the  name  of 
the  "  Caldron  Linn. " 

Exploring  parties  were  sent  out  to  examine  each  side 
of  the  river,  and  one  of  the  companies  trying  to  run 
the  rapids,  lost  all  four  canoes  and  their  equipment 
There  were  now  only  five  days'  provisions  left,  and  it 


185 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 


was  decided  to  divide  the  party.  McLellan,  and  Reed 
one  of  the  clerks,  each  with  a  few  companions,  contin- 
ued further  down  the  bank  of  the  river;  Mr.  Crooks, 
with  five  others,  retraced  their  steps  toward  Fort 
Henry.  If  the  latter  party  did  not  meet  with  friendly 
Indians  or  provisions  sooner,  they  intended  to  go  back 
after  the  horses;  Mr.  McKenzie  with  five  men  moved 
northward,  in  hopes  of  finding  the  main  stream  of  the 
Columbia.  If  they  found  adequate  help  for  the  whole 
party,  they  were  to  return.  If  not,  they  were  to  shift 
for  themselves  and  meet  at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia. 

Meanwhile  the  thirty  members  of  Mr.  Hunt's  party 
left  behind,  turned  their  attention  toward  obtaining 
provisions,  which  were  principally  beaver  in  very  small 
numbers.  They  also  set  to  work  to  make  nine  caches, 
in  which  to  hide  their  baggage  and  merchandise.  Be- 
fore these  were  completed,  Mr.  Crooks'  party  and  two 
of  Reed's  men  returned,  having  found  that  they  could 
not  reach  Fort  Henry  and  return  in  the  course  of  the 
winter,  and  that  the  river  was  impassable.  With  their 
several  avenues  of  escape  closing  about  them,  they  gave 
the  place  the  name  of  the  " Devil's  Scuttle  Hole." 

They  decided  to  set  out  immediately  on  foot.  A  vast 
tractless  plain  destitute  of  food  or  water,  lay  ahead  of 
them  if  they  abandoned  the  river,  and  they  agreed  to 
keep  along  its  course.  Their  provisions,  consisting  of 


186 


Over  the  Rockies 


Indian  corn,  grease,  portable  soup,  and  a  small  amount 
of  dried  meat,  were  getting  very  low,  yet  with  their 
blankets,  ammunition,  and  trading  goods,  amounted  to 
twenty  pounds  for  each  man. 

Mr.  Hunt,  with  eighteen  men,  besides  Pierre  Dorion 
and  his  wife  and  two  children,  kept  to  the  right  bank  of 
the  river,  while  Mr.  Crooks  and  his  party  took  the  left. 
The  way  was  so  hard  and  precipitous  that  it  was  days 
before  they  could  get  down  to  the  water-side,  and  their 
suffering  was  intense. 

Once  Mr.  Hunt's  party  met  two  Shoshoni  Indians, 
whom  they  persuaded  to  take  them  to  their  camp,  which 
they  found  to  be  tents  of  straw,  looking  like  haystacks. 
The  women,  frightened  at  the  white  men's  appearance, 
hid  their  children  under  the  straw,  and  Mr.  Hunt  en- 
tering one  of  the  tents,  perceived  the  bright  eves  of  the 
papooses  peering  out  at  him. 

They  continued  to  meet  small  Lands  of  Indians,  from 
each  of  which  they  bought  one  or  two  dogs  and  a  little 
dried  meat,  all  the  Indians  could  spare  from  their  own 
scanty  winter  supply.  Once  they  dropped  down  thirty 
miles  on  a  smooth  current,  but  the  waters  became  tur- 
bulent again,  and  they  resumed  their  rugged  path. 

Mr.  Hunt  made  every  effort  to  purchase  a  pack 
horse  to  relieve  his  men  but  failed,  until  a  battered  tin 
tea-kettle  closed  a  bargain  with  an  old  Indian.  A  little 


187 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

later  their  leader  was  fortunate  enough  to  purchase  a 
horse  for  his  own  use,  for  a  tomahawk,  a  knife,  a  fire- 
steel  and  some  beads. 

In  an  evil  hour  they  took  the  advice  of  some  Indians 
and  struck  inland  across  the  prairies,  only  to  meet  the 
most  intense  suffering  for  lack  of  both  food  and  drink. 
When  their  thirst  seemed  past  endurance,  a  merciful 
rain  fell  in  the  night,  and  the  men  eagerly  scooped  up 
the  water  from  the  hollows  in  the  sand.  After  travel- 
ing thirty-three  miles  the  next  day,  they  had  nothing 
for  supper  but  a  little  parched  corn.  Again  they  met 
Indians  and  bought  a  dog  and  a  little  fish,  and  "fared 
sumptuously,"  but  the  Indians  could  not  direct  them 
further  than  to  tell  them  that  the  Columbia  was  still 
far  off.  On  the  27th  of  November,  the  river  they  were 
following  led  them  into  the  mountains,  through  a  rocky 
defile.  Before  entering  this  defile  they  were  able  to 
buy  two  horses  for  a  couple  of  buffalo  robes,  from  a 
party  of  Indians.  Traveling  on  with  difficulty,  some- 
times fording  icy  streams,  they  faced  snow  storms  and 
waded  through  snow  up  to  their  knees,  unloading  the 
horses  to  get  them  by  narrow  places. 

Meeting  neither  Indians  nor  game,  they  were  com- 
pelled to  kill  a  horse.  "The  men  found  the  meat  very 
good,"  Mr.  Hunt  wrote  Mr.  Astor,  "and,  indeed,  so 
should  I,  were  it  not  for  the  attachment  I  had  for  the 


183 


Over  the  Rockies 


animal."  A  black-tailed  deer,  a  beaver,  and  another 
horse  each  tided  them  over  a  starving  time. 

Pinched  with  hunger,  they  struck  camp  in  a  wild 
snow  storm,  their  provisions  entirely  gone.  Fortunately 
they  succeeded  in  finding  a  group  of  pines.  Felling 
these,  they  made  huge  fires  and  once  more  killed  a 
horae  to  appease  their  hunger.  They  had  now  traveled 
four  hundred  and  seventy-two  miles  since  leaving 
"Caldron  Linn." 

On  the  6th  of  December,  they  discovered  Mr. 
Crooks'  party  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river  asking 
for  food.  A  kind  of  canoe  was  made  of  the  skin  of  the 
horse  partaken  of  the  night  before,  by  distending  the 
hide  with  sticks  or  thwart  pieces.  A  Canadian  crossed 
with  a  part  of  the  horse  meat,  bringing  Mr.  Crooks  and 
the  Canadian,  LeClerc,  back  in  a  starving  condition. 
This  party  had  met  more  vicissitudes  and  eaten  even 
less  food  that  Mr.  Hunt's. 

Turning  back  in  despair,  they  had  discovered  Mr. 
Hunt,  who  decided  to  retrace  his  steps  to  the  last  In- 
dian camp  they  had  passed,  hoping  to  buy  horses  for 
food.  Upon  his  refusal  to  leave  Mr.  Crooks  behind  in 
his  weak  condition,  all  of  Mr.  Hunt's  party,  except  five 
men,  moved  on.  All  day  Mr.  Hunt  and  his  companions 
traveled  slowly  without  eating,  at  night  making  a  tan- 
talizing meal  of  beaver  skin. 


189 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

Overtaking  the  advanced  party,  they  all  came  in 
another  day  to  an  Indian  camp,  where  many  horses 
were  grazing.  The  Indians  fled,  and  Mr.  Hunt's  party 
lost  no  time  in  killing,  cooking  and  eating  a  horse,  and 
sending  meat  by  horse-skin  canoe  to  Mr.  Crooks'  party 
on  the  opposite  bank.  Enough  trading  goods  were  left 
in  the  Indian  lodge  to  amply  pay  for  the  horses  they 
had  taken  to  prevent  starvation. 

They  found  a  camp  of  friendly  Shoshonies  on  the 
little  stream  where  they  had  previously  camped,  who 
sold  them  a  couple  of  horses,  a  dog,  and  some  dried 
fish,  roots  and  dried  cherries;  then  invited  the  whole 
party  to  winter  with  them,  though  they  were  unwilling 
to  provide  a  guide  for  the  trail  over  the  mountains. 

Mr.  Hunt  felt  it  would  be  certain  death  to  take  his 
party  over  the  mountains  without  a  guide,  but  to  re- 
main where  they  were  after  so  long  a  journey  and  so 
great  an  expense,  was  " worse  than  two  deaths."  He 
taunted  the  Indians  with  lack  of  courage  and  tempted 
them  with  a  gun,  pistol,  three  knives,  two  horses  and  a 
little  of  every  article  they  possessed,  until  one  of  them 
offered  to  be  their  guide. 

John  Day  was  unable  to  travel,  and  Mr.  Crooks  re- 
mained behind  with  him,  being  provided  with  a  share 
of  the  horse  meat.  On  the  24th  of  December,  having 
been  joined  by  Mr.  Crooks'  party,  they  turned  their 


190 


Over  the  Rockies 


backs  on  the  Snake  River,  and  struck  out  westward  to- 
ward the  mountains.  They  were  soon  having  only  one 
meal  of  horse  flesh  in  twenty-four  hours,  and  two  of 
the  men  were  so  weak  they  had  to  be  carried,  and  Mr. 
Hunt  shouldered  an  extra  pack. 

Famished  and  faint  of  heart,  they  pressed  on  until 
joyfully  they  came  upon  an  Indian  camp,  with  liorsrs 
and  dogs.  Purchasing  four  horses,  three  dogs  and  some 
roots,  they  set  about  getting  8.  good  meal,  a  preliminary 
feast  to  the  ushering  in  of  the  New  Year  of  1812,  which 
the  Canadians  celebrated  as  usual,  forgetting  for  tin- 
tim.'  the  hardships  of  the  way.  Excessively  toilsome 
traveling  led  toward  the  gap  in  the  mountains  through 
which  they  must  pass.  On  the  other  side  they  found  a 
milder  climate,  but  some  of  the  men  wore  so  fagged, 
they  dropped  behind.  What  was  the  Joy  of  the  inn  in 
party  to  find  an  Indian  camp  in  a  green  valley,  with 
numerous  lodges  and  hundreds  of  horses,  and  the  in- 
formation that  the  Columbia  was  only  two  days'  march 
further  on. 

The  stragglers  caught  up  hen-,  and  they  had  news 
of  McLellan's  and  McKenzie's  parties  passing  down 
the  river.  These  Indians  looked  upon  the  prospect  of 
future  trade  with  great  pleasure,  and  promised  to  hunt 
the  beaver  assiduously.  The  party  struck  the  Colum- 
bia some  distance  below  its  junction  with  the  Lewis  and 


191 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

Snake  Rivers,  and  were  overjoyed  at  reaching  this  way- 
mark  on  their  pilgrimage.  Dog  meat,  which  they  had 
learned  to  like,  and  salmon  could  be  procured  from  the 
Indians  on  the  Columbia. 

Humors  of  a  great  house  surrounded  by  palisades 
came  to  them  from  these  natives,  and  also  the  grief  at 
their  non-arrival  at  Astoria.  At  Wish-ram  they  found 
the  Indians  tricky  and  dishonest,  and  needing  close 
watching.  Here  Mr.  Hunt  heard  for  the  first  time  of  the 
loss  of  the  Tonquin,  which  he  only  half  believed,  but  it 
gave  him  great  disquietude.  Canoes  were  obtained  at 
the  lowed  end  of  the  Long  Narrows,  and  after  a  windy 
voyage  they  came  in  sight  of  the  little  colony  of  Astoria 
on  February  15th,  1812. 

The  joy  of  the  travelers  after  eleven  months'  wander- 
ing in  the  wilderness,  where  the  sight  of  an  Indian  wig- 
wam had  been  a  rare  pleasure,  can  easily  be  imagined. 
The  route  traveled  by  Mr.  Hunt  and  his  party  carried 
them  over  three  thousand  six  hundred  miles,  though  in 
a  direct  line  the  distance  was  only  eighteen  hundred 
miles. 

There  were  shouts  of  joy  from  all  the  canoes  as  they 
crossed  the  little  bay  and  pulled  into  land,  where  all 
hands  hastened  down  to  greet  them.  The  voyageurs 
hugged  and  kissed  each  other,  and  expressed  their 
pleasure  in  a  noisy  fashion.  Among  the  first  +o  wel- 


192 


a  r  » 

a.  a  I 

•3  •  ** 


PJ| 

§  >•£ 


Over  the  Rockies 


come  teh  wanderers  were  McLellan,  McKenzie  and 
Eeed,  whose  account  of  their  journey,  hunger  and 
thirst  and  other  hardships,  were  similar  to  those  of  Mr. 
Hunt's  party,  with  the  difference  that  they  had  over- 
taken each  other,  and  traveling  together  in  a  smaller 
party,  had  found  it  easier  to  provision  all. 

They  had  been  saved  once  from  starvation,  cowering 
under  a  rock  in  a  snow  storm,  by  a  big-horn  sheltering 
itself  above  them  under  a  shelving  rock.  With  the  ut- 
most caution,  Mr.  McLellan,  being  a  very  good  shot, 
and  the  most  active  of  the  party  in  their  starved  state, 
had  circled  above  the  big-horn  till  his  aim  killed  it  on 
the  spot,  after  which  it  was  rolled  down  to  the  famished 
group  below. 

Since  they  crossed  the  mountains  before  the  heavy 
snows,  they  had  reached  Astoria  a  month  earlier  than 
Mr.  Hunt's  party.  Thus  all  were  accounted  for,  ex- 
cept Mr.  Crooks  and  John  Day,  for  whom  they  felt 
but  slight  hope  in  their  weakened  condition. 

A  day  of  jubilee  was  celebrated,  in  which  colors  were 
hoisted,  guns  were  fired,  and  the  men  who  had  so  long 
subsisted  on  horse  and  dog  meat  were  treated  to  the 
best  the  post  afforded,  the  festivities  closing  with  the 
usual  dance  of  the  Canadian  voyageurs  at  night. 


193 


CHAPTED  XXII. 
CARRYING  DESPATCHES  TO  MR.  ASTOR. 

THE  winter  had  passed  quietly,  though  because  of 
the  scarcity  of  game  the  post  was  frequently  put 
on  short  rations.  With  the  approach  of  spring, 
a  tiny  fish  called  tecan,  then  sturgeon,  and  after  that 
salmon,  abounded,  affording  ample  provision  for  the 
colonists  on  the  Columbia  shores.  There  were  also  ber- 
ries and  wild  cherries;  land  birds  flew  over  their 
heads;  and  for  the  hunter  and  trapper  this  was  a  coun- 
try of  rich  harvest.  Stags,  fallow  deer,  black  and 
grizzly  bears,  antelopes,  big-horn,  beaver,  sea  and  river 
otter,  muskrat,  fox  and  wolf  were  all  to  be  found  in 
this  country  which  Mr.  Astor  had  chosen  as  the  center 
of  his  great  enterprise. 

The  Chinooks,  over  whom  Comcomly  ruled,  were 
keen  traders,  inquisitive  and  fond  of  ridiculing  stran- 
gers, but  their  abstinence  from  intoxicating  liquor  gave 
them  precedence  over  other  tribes. 

When  spring  opened,  activities  commenced.  Robert 
Stuart  was  sent  with  supplies  to  his  uncle's  camp  at 
Oakenagan;  two  clerks  with  eight  men,  were  commis- 

194 


Despatches  to  Mr.   Astor 


sioned  to  go  back  to  ' '  Caldron  Linn ' '  and  bring  the  goods 
from  the  caches;  and  an  ineffectual  attempt  was  made 
to  send  despatches  to  Mr.  Astor. 

Hearing  an  English  voice  on  the  bank  one  May  day; 
they  found  it  belonged  to  Mr.  Crooks,  who,  with  John 
Day,  had  reached  Astoria  at  last  through  incredible 
hardship.  The  joy  of  these  men  in  once  more  being  a 
part  of  the  Astoria  party  was  inexhaustible. 

Mr.  Astor  began  preparations  for  sending  his  prom- 
ised annual  ship  in  Astoria,  in  1811,  before  he  had  yet 
heard  from  the  Tonquin,  or  the  land  party  under  Mr. 
Hunt.  In  October  the  Beaver  put  to  sea  with  a  valu- 
able cargo  for  the  post  at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia, 
the  trade  along  the  coast,  and  the  supplies  for  the  Rus- 
sian establishment  further  north. 

Mr.  John  Clark,  the  partner  who  embarked,  five 
young  clerks  and  fifteen  laborers,  were  all  American 
citizens.  They  were  also  accompanied  by  six  Canadian 
voyageurs.  Captain  Sowle's  instructions  corresponded 
with  those  given  to  Captain  Thorn — "to  be  careful  in 
his  intercourse  with  the  natives,  and  not  to  permit  more 
than  one  or  two  to  board  at  a  time." 

They  were  to  stop  at  the  Sandwich  Islands,  enquire 
the  fortune  of  the  Tonquin,  and  make  sure  the  estab- 
lishment at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  had  not  fallen 
into  hostile  hands.  If  all  were  well,  he  was  to  take  a 


195 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

large  number  of  Sandwich  Islanders  along  with  him. 
After  landing  the  portion  of  his  cargo  intended  for  As- 
toria, he  was  to  continue  to  New  Archangel  with  the 
supplies  for  the  Russian  post,  where  he  would  receive 
peltries  in  exchange.  Returning  to  Astoria,  he  was  to 
collect  furs  there  and  along  the  coast,  and  the  proceed 
to  China. 

On  reaching  the  Sandwich  Islands,  they  heard  ru- 
mors of  the  fate  of  the  Tonquin,  and  fears  that  no  es- 
tablishment had  been  formed.  Anxiety  was  felt  for  both 
the  land  and  sea  parties. 

The  Beaver  sailed  on,  but  on  reaching  the  Columbia 
showed  the  utmost  caution.  Four  times  they  fired  sig- 
nal guns  over  three  days,  and  to  their  great  joy  they 
heard  an  answer  on  the  third  day,  and  beacon  fires 
were  burned  all  night.  Even  then  Captain  Sowle  was 
cautious  in  entering  the  bay,  for  fear  there  might  be 
treacherous  foes  behind  the  guns. 

Toward  noon,  an  Indian  canoe  and  barge  approached 
them,  the  canoe  holding  Comcomly  and  six  Indians, 
the  barge  McDougal,  McLellan  and  eight  Canadians. 
On  the  9th  day  of  May,  1812,  the  Beaver  crossed  the 
bar  with  these  smaller  boats  as  pilots,  and  anchored  in 
Baker's  Bay.  Not  the  least  part  of  the  joy  in  the  ar- 
rival of  the  ship,  as  Franchere  states,  was  receiving  let- 
ters from  home. 


196 


Despatches  to  Mr.  Astor 


With  the  arrival  of  the  Beaver  new  life  and  vigor 
appeared  in  Astoria.  Two  parties  were  immediately 
formed  under  McKenzie  and  Clark,  to  establish  posts 
above  the  forks  of  the  Columbia,  where  rivalry  from 
the  Northwest  Company  might  be  expected.  A  third 
party  under  David  Stuart,  was  to  carry  supplies  to 
Oakenagan.  It  was  most  important  the  despatches 
should  be  gotten  through  to  Mr.  Astor  in  New  York, 
and  Robert  Stuart  was  chosen  this  time  for  the  respon- 
sible mission.  Though  he  had  not  crossed  the  moun- 
tains himself,  he  was  given  as  cainpanions  John  Day, 
Ben  Jones,  a  Kentuckian,  and  two  Canadians,  who  had 
been  in  Mr.  Hunt's  party.  Messrs.  Crooks  and  Mc- 
Lellan  also  accompanied  the  little  party  east.  Stuart 
himself  was  young  and  vigorous  and  competent. 

All  the  parties  left  Astoria  on  June  30th,  and  kept 
together  until  by  dint  of  vigilance  and  caution  they 
had  passed  safely  through  the  piratical  Narrows  with- 
out loss.  Having  bought  horses  from  friendly  Indians, 
the  returning  party  were  ready  to  start  on  their  long 
journey. 

Robert  Stuart  trusted  to  the  more  favorable  season 
to  save  his  party  from  the  perils  and  extremities  which 
had  befallen  Mr.  Hunt  the  winter  before;  but  summer 
also  had  its  trials.  The  winter  streams  were  dried  up, 
and  mosquitoes  thronged  their  passage  by  day,  and  pre- 


197 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

vented  sleep  at  night.  They  suffered  greatly  from 
thirst,  and  found  that  several  of  the  caches  made  by 
Mr.  Hunt's  men  at  "Caldron  Linn,"  had  been  opened 
and  plundered. 

Palling  in  with  a  band  of  Snake  Indians,  one  of 
them  hugged  and  kissed  Robert  Stuart's  horse,  saying 
it  had  been  stolen  from  him.  The  horse  was  a  fine  ani- 
mal that  the  young  partner  had  meant  to  present  to 
Mr.  Astor  when  he  reached  New  York.  The  young  In- 
dian was  offered  attractive  gifts  if  he  would  accom- 
pany the  party  as  guide,  which  offer  he  eagerly  ac- 
cepted, only  to  decamp  in  the  night,  with  his  own,  and 
Robert  Stuart's  horse. 

In  early  September  they  had  some  trouble  with  a 
party  of  Crow  Indians,  and  turned  their  course  in 
consequence,  keeping  vigilant  watch  for  their  enemies. 
Three  weeks  later,  early  one  morning,  a  sudden  cry 
of  "Indians!  Indians!  to  arms!  to  arms!"  sounded.  A 
mounted  Crow,  with  a  red  flag,  galloped  to  a  neighbor- 
ing hill  with  a  small  troop  of  savages  whooping  and 
yelling.  The  frightened  horses  dashed  toward  the 
flag-bearer,  attracted  by  the  red  banner. 

At  the  same  time  Indian  yells  sounded  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  baggage.  Rushing  to  secure  this,  the  first 
half  of  the  Indian  party  put  spurs  to  their  horses  and 
all  galloped  off,  followed  by  the  panic-stricken  camp 


198 


Despatches  to  Mr.  Astor 


horses.  It  was  all  over  in  a  few  minutes,  and  Robert 
Stuart's  brave  band  were  left  horseless,  to  travel  over 
vast  distances  of  rugged  mountains,  and  parched  and 
foodless  plains.  John  Day  had  given  out  early  in  the 
journey,  his  mind  having  been  weakened  by  the  fierce 
struggles  of  the  previous  trip,  so  the  little  party  only 
numbered  five. 

There  was  nothing  to  do  but  set  out  on  foot,  though 
they  dropped  down  the  "Mad  River"  for  ninety  miles 
in  a  canoe.  Finding  themselves  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
dangerous  Blackfeet  Indians,  they  turned  quite  out  of 
their  course  to  avoid  them,  suffering  from  hunger,  both 
through  fear  of  using  a  gun  in  this  hostile  region,  and 
also  because  the  small  amount  of  provisions  they  could 
carry  with  other  loads,  soon  gave  out. 

Once,  after  traveling  three  days  without  food,  with 
four  days'  march  ahead  over  a  barren  plain,  one  of  the 
Canadians  wanted  to  draw  lots.  Mr.  Stuart  indignantly 
declined  to  consider  the  horrible  proposition,  but 
passed  a  sleepless  night  of  anxiety.  To  their  joy,  the 
next  morning  they  discovered  an  old  run-down  buffalo 
bull  near  them,  which  had  lagged  behind  the  rest.  So 
starved  were  they  that  they  ate  of  the  raw  meat  before 
there  was  time  to  cook  it. 

On  the  Spanish  River,  they  bought  an  old  pack  horse 
from  a  party  of  Snake  Indians, — all  the  thieving  Crowi 


199 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

had  left  them, — and  loading  it  with  all  the  meat  it  could 
carry,  started  on.  Sometimes  they  were  compelled  to 
camp  on  the  open  prairie  without  fire,  and  the  October 
nights  were  keen  and  cutting. 

They  built  themselves  a  winter  cabin  in  the  bend  of  a 
river  sheltered  by  cottonwoods  and  willows,  and  killed 
many  of  a  herd  of  buffalo,  which  came  tramping 
through  the  woody  bottom  land,  jerking  the  meat  in 
large  quantities  for  winter  use. 

In  five  weeks  they  were  visited  by  a  band  of  Indians 
in  war-paint  and  feathers.  They  were  in  pursuit  of 
the  Crows,  who  had  robbed  them,  and  were  nearly  fam- 
ished. The  jerked  meat  went  to  meet  their  necessities. 
On  the  unwilling  departure  of  their  guests,  though  in 
middle  December,  it  was  thought  best  to  leave  their 
comfortable  winter  nest  and  be  many  miles  distant 
when  the  Indians  returned.  Fortunately  their  guests 
had  failed  to  steal  their  old  pack  horse. 

A  forced  march  of  fourteen  days,  over  three  hun- 
dred and  thirty  miles,  carried  them  into  desolute  prai- 
ries, and  they  were  compelled  to  retrace  their  steps 
three  days'  journey,  to  a  grove  of  cottonwood  trees  on 
the  margin  of  another  stream,  with  buffaloes  in  evi- 
dence near  at  hand.  Here  they  built  a  second  cabin, 
and  laid  in  a  fresh  supply  of  meat,  pausing  in  their 
labor  to  celebrate  the  New  Year  of  1813. 


200 


Despatches  to  Mr.  Astor 


These  celebrations  of  the  ushering  in  of  the  New 
Year  were  repeated  year  by  year  in  wilderness  lodges; 
posts  of  the  fur  traders;  in  trading  vessels  on  the  high 
seas.  The  turnings  of  the  tide  of  time  into  a  fresh  chan- 
nel with  new  hopes,  seemed  never  to  fail  of  importance 
to  the  adventurers  of  those  days,  particularly  when  th<- 
party  included  the  light-hearted  Canadian  voyageurs, 
who  ever  looked  upon  the  opening  of  the  New  Year  as 
a  festival  too  happy  to  be  omitted. 

As  spring  opened  they  continued  their  journey  on 
foot,  with  the  faithful  old  pack  horse,  who  had  cov- 
ered his  bones  with  flesh,  and  strengthened  his  muscles 
during  the  winter.  Now  the  prairies  were  clothed  with 
green  and  stocked  with  game.  Buffalo  covered  the 
country,  and  wild  geese  and  duck  abounded,  but  the 
streams  continued  too  shallow  to  float  a  canoe. 

The   long  tramp  was    growing    irksome,    and    they' 
watched  for  any  sign  of  a  change.     A  special  kind  of 
grass,  prairie  hens,  driftwood  with  the  mark  of  an  axe 
upon  it,  and  an  island  which  was  supposed  to  be  within 
one  hundred  and  forty  miles  of  the  Missouri,  all  gave 
them  fresh  courage.     Three  days  further  on,  they  met 
an  Indian  who  told  them  their  conjecture    was    cor- 
rect, and  added  an  amazing  piece     of     information — 
that  the  United  States  and  England  had  been  at  wai 
for  a  year,  during  which  time  the  events  of  the  out- 


201 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 


side  world  had  not  reached  the  depths  of  the  wilder- 


Exchanging  the  old  pack  horse  at  an  Indian  village 
for  provisions  and  a  skin  canoe,  which  they  changed 
later  for  two  old  wooden  canoes  found  at  a  deserted 
camp,  they  made  the  two  hundred  and  fifty  miles  to 
Fort  Osage.  Here  they  were  entertained  most  hospit 
ably  by  Lieutenant  Brownson,  the  greatest  luxury  they 
met  being  bread,  which  they  had  not  tasted  for  a  year. 

On  the  30th  of  April  they  arrived  at  St.  Louis, 
where  for  a  time  they  were  the  center  of  interest,  since 
they  brought  the  first  news  of  Mr.  Hunt's  party,  and 
of  the  new  establishment  at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia. 

The  terms  of  the  agreement  with  Russia,  the  opening 
negotiations  concerning  which  were  begun  in  March, 
1811,  and  involved  the  voyage  of  an  agent  to  Russia  and 
return,  were  ratified  by  Mr.  Astor  in  1813.  The  ar- 
rangement bound  the  two  companies  to  respect  each 
other's  trading  and  hunting  grounds,  and  to  furnish 
no  arms  or  ammunition  to  the  Indians.  They  were  also 
to  act  together  for  mutual  protection  against  rival  as- 
pirants for  their  advantageous  positions. 

The  American  Company  was  to  carry  the  Russian 
post  provisions  and  supplies  and  to  receive  pel- 
tries in  return.  If  agreeable  to  the  Russian  Govern- 
or's wishes,  the  American  Company  was  to  convey  the 


202 


Despatches  to  Mr.  Astor 


Russian  furs  to  Canton,  sell  them  on  commission,  and 
return  with  the  proceeds,  or  such  freight  as  they  might 
order.  The  agreement  was  to  stand  for  four  years,  and 
to  be  renewed  at  the  end  of  that  time,  if  both  parties 
concurred. 

Mr.  Astor  planned  to  place  small  coasting  vessels  of 
his  own  at  Astoria,  which  would  ply  along  the  coast 
on  short  voyages,  and  have  a  vast  advantage  over  ships 
that  must  come  long  distances. 

He  looked  forward  to  making  Astoria  the  great  cen- 
ter of  the  American  fur  trade  on  the  Pacific,  and  the 
nucleus  of  a  future  American  State.  That  a  fortune 
should  be  spent  in  materializing  these  hopes,  seemed 
but  natural  lo  this  man  of  vast  enterprises  and  gigan- 
tic courage. 

Mm  war  had  already  broken  out  between  the  United 
States  and  Great  Britain,  before  Mr.  Astor  ratified  his 
important  agreement  in  1813,  and  with  th»  war  came 
added  anxieties  regarding  a  venture  which  had  already 
tested  the  far-reaching  vision  of  the  great  venturer  to 
a  marked  degree. 

In  this  dilemma,  Mr.  Astor  wrote  to  Captain  Sowle 
at  Canton,  directing  him  to  carry  supplies  to  Astoria, 
and  remain  there  until  orders  came  from  Mr.  Hunt, 
who  was  in  command  at  the  post.  Meanwhile  the  waf 
went  on. 


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The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

Not  a  word  arrived  from  Astoria.  The  loss  of  the  first 
despatches  and  Robert  Stuart's  prolonged  journey 
on  foot,  had  increased  the  already  lengthy  time  of 
waiting  for  news.  Nothing  had  been  heard  from  Mr. 
Hunt  since  he  left  the  Arickara  village,  and  there  were 
floating  rumors  of  his  party  having  been  cut  off  by  the 
savages. 

Mr.  Astor 's  hope  and  faith  needed  to  be  of  the 
staunchest,  to  send  out  another  expensive  expedition  in 
the  face  of  so  great  loss  in  the  past  and  yqual  uncer- 
tainty in  the  future.  Yet  whatever  his  anxiety,  his 
courage  did  not  falter,  and  presently  he  was  fitting  out 
the  Lark  to  go  to  the  relief  of  the  little  settlement. 

Just  at  this  point,  Mr.  Astor  was  informed  that  the 
Northwest  Company  was  about  to  start  an  armed  ship 
to  form  a  factory  at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia.  This 
report  caused  the  President  of  the  Pacific  Fur  Com- 
pany great  anxiety.  The  men  in  his  employ  at  As- 
toria were  largely  Scotchmen  and  Canadians,  the 
American  influence  being  dependent  on  Mr.  Hunt's 
safe  arrival.  There  was  also  possibility  of  the  British 
government  sending  an  armed  force  against  the  post. 

In  this  emergency,  Mr.  Astor  appealed  to  Mr.  Mon- 
roe, Secretary  of  State,  for  protection  from  the  United 
States  Government.  He  gave  the  commercial  importance 
of  the  settlement,  and  the  significance  it  might  assume 


204 


Despatches  to  Mr.  Astor 


as  a  place  of  shelter  to  American  shipping  on  the  Pacif- 
ic. He  only  asked  that  "the  American  government 
would  throw  forty  or  fifty  men  into  the  fort  at  his  es- 
tablishment, which  number  would  be  sufficient  for  its 
defense  until  he  could  send  reinforcements  overland." 

No  reply  came  to  his  petition,  though  the  letter  was 
repeated  which  pointed  out  Astoria's  influence  in  ex- 
tending United  States  power  on  the  Pacific  coast.  The 
Lark  put  to  sea  in  March,  1813. 

Mr.  Astor  wrote  to  Mr.  Hunt  by  way  of  the  Lark, 
saying:  "I  always  think  you  are  well,  and  I  shall  se* 
you  again,  which,  heaven  I  hope  will  grant."  He 
warned  him  to  be  on  guard  lest  the  Northwest  Com- 
pany surprise  and  attack  the  post;  and  expressed  his 
indignation  at  the  return  this  company  had  made  for 
his  own  frankness  and  generous  offers. 

"Were  I  on  the  spot,"  he  said,  "and  had  the  man- 
agement of  affairs,  I  would  defy  them  all ;  but,  as  it  is, 
everything  depends  on  you  and  your  friends  about  you. 
Our  enterprise  is  grand,  and  deserves  success,  and  I 
hope  to  God  it  will  meet  it.  If  my  object  were  merely 
gain  in  money,  I  should  say,  think  whether  it  is  best 
to  save  what  we  can  and  abandon  the  place;  but  the 
very  idea  is  like  a  dagger  to  my  heart. ' ' 

Month  after  month  passed  by,  without  any  change 
in  the  uncertainty  which  hung  over  the  enterprise.  The 
strain  began  to  have  its  effect  on  Mr.  Astor 's  spirits. 
He  was  sitting  one  gloomy  evening  thinking  over  the 


205 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

loss  of  the  Tonquin  and  the  fate  of  her  unfortunate 
crew,  and  fearing  equal  calamity  might  have  overtaken 
other  parts  of  the  expedition,  when  the  evening  paper 
was  handed  him.  Glancing  down,  his  eye  caught  the 
words  which  announced  Mr.  Stuart  and  his  compan- 
ion's safe  arrival  at  St.  Louis,  with  the  news  that  Mr. 
Hunt  and  his  party  had  reached  the  mouth  of  the  Co- 
lumbia. For  a  time  the  clouds  dispersed,  and  Mr.  Astor 
again  hoped  for  the  complete  success  of  his  plans. 


206 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 
ENGLAND'S  TROPHY. 

AFTER  the  departure  of  the  four  " brigades" 
from  Astoria,  on  their  various  missions,  in  the 
spring  of  1812,  it  was  decided  by  the  partners 
that  Mr.  Hunt  should  sail  in  the  Beaver  for  New  Arch- 
angel "to  make  an  exact  commercial  survey  of  the 
coast,"  to  carry  supplies  to  the  Russian  post,  and  com- 
plete arrangements  with  the  Russian  Governor,  return- 
ing in  October,  as  the  vessel  pursued  her  course  to  the 
Sandwich  Islands  and  Canton. 

The  Beaver  set  sail  in  August,  and  her  departure 
combined  with  that  of  the  various  brigades,  left  the  ad- 
venturers at  Astoria  small  in  numbers.  The  fishing  sea- 
son was  on,  and  the  Indian  tribes  which  gathered,  were 
not  over-respectful  toward  the  poorly  garrisoned  post. 
Comcomly,  however,  was  a  good  friend,  having  discov- 
ered that  it  was  to  his  interest  to  ally  himself  with  the 
whites,  and  act  as  an  intermediate  trader  between  them 
and  more  distant  tribes. 

The  autumn  passed,  and  December  and  January, 
1813,  without  the  return  of  the  Beaver.  Grave  fears 


207 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

were  entertained  that  she  had  been  wrecked  or  met  with 
a  similar  fate  to  that  of  the  Tonquin.  Mr.  McDougal 
had  ceased  to  eujoy  his  position  as  commander,  and 
was  full  of  gloomy  despondency. 

While  in  this  mood,  McKenzie  returned  from  his 
post  with  ill  news.  He  had  found  his  position  in  a  poor 
hunting  and  trapping  country,  among  unfriendly  Indi- 
ans, and  had  considered  abandoning  it.  Journeying  to 
Mr.  Clarke's  post  for  consultation,  he  met  there  an  un- 
welcome visitor  in  Mr.  John  McTavish.  of  the  Northwest 
Company.  McTavish  had-  with  him  President  Madi- 
son's proclamation  of  war,  and  told  the  Astorians  he 
had  a  fresh  supply  of  goods,  with  which  he  expected 
to  carry  on  a  vigorous  opposition  to  the  American  Com 
pany.  He  brought  his  news  to  a  climax  by  informing 
the  partners  of  the  armed  ship,  Isaac  Todd,  which  was 
to  be  sent  to  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia,  to  take  pos- 
session of  the  trade  of  the  river,  and  that  he  was  or- 
dered to  join  her  there. 

McKenzie  had  deposited  his  goods  in  caches,  and 
with  his  entire  party  returned  to  Astoria.  McDougal 
and  McKenzie  thereupon  held  a  council  of  discourage- 
ment. They  decided  that  the  Beaver  was  lost ;  that  they 
would  get  no  further  help  from  the  United  States, 
since  all  ports  would  be  blockaded ;  that  they  could  expect 
nothing  from  England  but  hostility;  and  they  deter- 


208 


England's  Trophy 


minded  to  abandon  the  factory  at  Astoria  when  spring 
came,  and  return  across  the  Rockies.  There  were  a  few 
clerks  at  the  council  besides  the  partners,  but  they  had 
no  votes. 

When  this  decision  was  sent  to  David  Stuart  and 
Clarke,  it  met  with  immediate  opposition.  These  two 
men  had  been  very  successful  at  their  posts,  and  had 
gathered  large  quantities  of  peltries.  They  considered 
it  cowardly  to  abandon  the  undertaking  at  the  first 
difficulty, — an  enterprise  that  had  called  for  so  great 
an  effort,  and  enormous  financial  outlay.  They  made 
no  preparations  to  join  the  retreating  partners,  but  in- 
stead returned  to  their  new  and  prosperous  posts,  with 
the  intention  of  holding  them. 

As  the  time  of  the  spring  rendezvous  at  Astoria  ap- 
proached, Mr.  Clarke  packed  his  furs  on  twenty-eight 
horses,  and  started  with  a  portion  of  his  party  for  the 
mouth  of  the  Columbia.  On  his  way  back  to  Astoria  he 
met  with  a  band  of  Nez  Perces  Indians,  who  had 
greatly  troubled  him  with  pilfering  on  the  way  out. 
Mr.  Clarke  had  with  him  a  silver  goblet,  sent  as  a  pres- 
ent from  Mr.  Astor  to  Mr.  McKay,  the  partner  who  had 
perished  in  the  ill-fated  Tonquin.  Since  its  owner 
was  no  more,  it  had  remained  in  Mr.  Clarke's  posses- 
sion, greatly  to  that  gentleman's  pleasure,  and  he  was 
accustomed  to  drink  from  it  with  a  lordly  air,  then 


209 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 


lock  it  up  in  its  case.  Forgetting  the  lock  one  night, 
the  glittering  cup  was  gone  in  the  morning.  It  was 
the  climax  of  much  that  had  gone  before,  and  the  thief 
being  discovered,  was  treated  with  great  severity.  In 
this,  as  in  many  other  cases,  it  was  afterward  feared 
that  the  revenge  of  the  Indians  followed  the  punish- 
ment of  their  offences. 

On  arriving  at  Astoria,  Mr.  Clarke  found  another 
brigade,  which  had  come  in  ten  days  earlier,  also  laden 
with  numerous  packs  of  beaver.  The  adventurers  were 
gathering  the  first  fruits  of  the  great  enterprise.  The 
returning  partners  found  Mr.  McDougal  making  ac- 
tive preparation  for  departure  on  the  1st  of  July,  hav- 
ing notified  the  men  at  Astoria  nine  days  previous.  The 
fresh  arrivals  were  indignant  at  this  action,  taken  with 
out  their  consent,  though  their  coming  was  daily  ex- 
pected. McDougal's  whole  attitude  suggested  a  lack 
of  loyalty  to  the  cause  which  he  represented. 

McTavish  and  his  party  had  arrived  a  few  days  be 
fore,  and  were  being  treated  with  the  utmost  hospital- 
ity. Without  help  from  the  Astorian  stores,  and  the 
£0od  will  of  the  Indians  influenced  by  McDougal,  they 
would  have  been  compelled  to  leave  the  position  they 
had  taken,  for  the  Isaac  Todd  did  not  appear. 

Clarke  and  Stuart  had  not  brought  the  horses  and 
provisions  McDougal  had  requested,  and  in  sore  dis- 


210 


England's  Trophy 


appointment,  he  was  forced  to  give  up  his  plan  for 
abandoning  the  fort  that  year.  Meanwhile  the  influ- 
ence of  their  fellow  partners  began  to  have  its  effect 
on  the  loyal  two,  and  at  length  their  consent  was  gained, 
though  reluctantly,  to  leave  the  country  the  following 
year. 

After  this  decision,  the  men  scattered  again  to  their 
various  posts,  in  order  to  purchase  horses  and  provi- 
sions, and  as  many  peltries  as  their  means  would  al- 
low, and  also  to  send  provisions  for  the  winter  to  As- 
toria. As  they  now  had  more  clerks  than  they  could 
use,  Ross  Cox,  Alexander  Ross,  and  Donald  McLellan 
were  freed  from  their  engagement,  and  went  into  the 
service  of  the  Northwest  Company. 

Mr.  McTavish  carried  with  him,  on  his  return,  a  let- 
ter to  be  forwarded  to  Mr.  Astor,  signed  by  the  four 
partners,  which  told  of  the  non-arrival  of  the  annual 
ship;  the  probable  loss  of  the  Beaver;  their  scarcity  of 
goods,  and  their  doubt  of  receiving  further  supplies: 
their  ignorance  of  the  coast,  and  the  trade  of  the  in- 
terior being  unequal  to  the  expense;  the  rivalry  of  the 
Northwest  Company;  and  their  intention  to  abandon 
the  undertaking  on  the  1st  day  of  June  of  the  ensuing 
year,  unless  supplies  came  from  Mr.  Astor,  with  orders 
to  continue. 

Clarke  and  Stuart   felt  this  was  not  a   wholly   fair 


211 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 


statement  concerning  the  interior  trade,  but  were  over 
ruled  by  the  other  two  partners. 

Mr.  Astor 's  anxieties  had  not  decreased  in  the  in- 
terim. The  second  annual  ship,  the  Lark,  had  sailed 
in  March,  1813,  and  only  two  weeks  later  he  had  re- 
ceived word  that  through  the  influence  of  the  North- 
west Company,  the  British  Government  had  ordered 
the  frigate  Phoebe  to  accompany  the  Isaac  Todd.  They 
were  to  sail  for  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia,  capture 
the  American  fortress,  and  plant  there  the  English  flag. 

It  was  at  this  time  that  Mr.  Astor  sent  his  second 
letter  to  the  Secretary  of  State,  giving  this  latest  in- 
telligence. The  Government  was  at  last  awakened  to 
the  necessity  for  protecting  this  foothold  of  American 
interest  on  the  Pacific,  and  ordered  the  frigate  Adams 
sent  on  the  service.  Mr.  Astor  immediately  fitted  out 
the  Enterprise  with  supplies  and  reinforcements,  to  ac- 
company the  frigate. 

In  June,  he  received  a  letter  from  Robert  Stuart 
telling  him  of  his  successful  return  east,  and  of  Mr. 
Hunt's  safe  arrival  at  Astoria,  and  giving  flattering 
accounts  of  the  whole  venture.  The  relief  to  Mr.  Astor 's 
mind  was  so  great,  that — "I  felt  ready,"  he  said,  "to 
fall  upon  my  knees  in  a  transport  of  gratitude."  There 
was  also  word  of  the  safe  arrival  at  the  Columbia  of 
the  Beaver. 


212 


England's  Trophy 


This  ray  of  sunshine  preceded  a  cloud,  for  just  as 
she  was  ready  to  start  for  Astoria,  the  Adams  was  im- 
peratively needed  on  Lake  Ontario;  and  even  the  En- 
terprise, which  Mr.  Astor  decided  to  risk  sending  on 
alone,  was  held  at  New  York  by  a  blockading  British 
force  off  the  Hook. 

The  Lark,  and  the  relief  she  carried,  now  became  Mr. 
Astor 's  one  hope,  and  if  they  had  known  it,  that  of 
Astoria  as  well. 

McDougal  seems  to  have  been  in  constant  fear  of  a 
rising  of  the  savages  against  his  poorly  garrisoned  fort. 
This  is  given  as  his  reason  for  an  act  of  diplomacy,  in 
asking  the  hand  of  Comcomly's  daughter  in  marriage. 
A  romantic  account  of  the  affair  harks  back  to  the 
time  when  McDougal,  exploring  the  surrounding  coun- 
try, was  storm-bound  in  Comcomly's  abode.  At  this 
time  his  daughter,  the  Indian  princess,  is  said  to  hava 
charmed  him  with  her  efforts  for  his  entertainment. 

Comcomly  was  nothing  loath  to  consider  the  Ameri- 
can commander  in  the  light  of  a  son-in-law,  but  his 
motive  for  such  an  alliance  was  not  sentimental,  but 
commercial.  The  conferences  were  long  and  intricate, 
and  in  the  end  much  American  trading  goods  was  ex- 
changed for  the  hand  of  the  dusky  maiden. 

There  were  feasting  and  dancing  at  the  wedding,  and 
Comcomly  became  a  very  frequent  visitor  at  his  son-in- 


213 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 


law's,  making  use  of  the  conveniences  of  civilization 
freely,  especially  those  of  the  blacksmith  shop,  which 
served  the  needs  of  his  tribe  in  many  ways. 

The  honeymoon  was  hardly  over,  when  Gassacop,  a 
brother  of  the  bride,  came  running  in  one  day,  to  say 
that  a  ship  was  at  the  mouth  of  the  river.  Immediately 
there  was  immense  excitement.  Was  it  the  Beaver,  or 
the  annual  supply  ship?  Was  it  the  Isaac  Todd,  or  was 
it  an  English  frigate  come  to  capture  the  fort?  Or 
possibly,  was  she  simply  an  independent  trader? 

Every  eye  was  directed  toward  the  entrance  of  the 
river,  anxious  to  know  whether  they  were  to  welcome 
a  friend,  or  prepare  for  war.  As  the  vessel  crossed  the 
bar,  they  recognized  the  American  flag,  and  with  a 
great  shout  of  joy,  the  cannon  from  the  fort  united  in 
the  greeting.  At  nightfall,  Mr.  Hunt  stepped  on  shore, 
and  the  rejoicing  knew  no  bounds.  Few  of  the  Astori- 
ans  had  believed  him  to  be  still  alive. 

The  Beaver  had  landed  at  New  Archangel  in  about 
two  weeks  from  the  time  she  started  from  Astoria,  but 
the  negotiations  in  disposing  of  the  vessel's  cargo,  and 
obtaining  the  returns,  took  so  long  that  it  was  October 
before  the  bargain  was  closed.  Mr.  Hunt  was  to  have  been 
paid  for  his  goods  in  seal  skins,  but  there  were  none  at 
the  New  Archangel  fort,  so  it  was  necessary  to  proceed 
to  a  seal-catching  factory,  on  the  island  of  St.  Paul,  in 


214 


England's  Trophy 


the  sea  of  Kamchatka.  It  was  the  31st  of  October  when 
they  arrived  at  St.  Paul.  Here  the  natives  lived  in 
cabins  that  looked  like  canoes,  the  jaw-bone  of  a  whale 
being  used  as  rafters.  Across  this  were  laid  pieces  of 
driftwood  covered  with  long  grass,  the  skins  of  animals, 
and  earth. 

Mr.  Hunt  found  shelter  here  while  he  overhauled 
and  inspected  great  heaps  of  seal  skins.  When  ap- 
proved, the  peltries  were  conveyed  in  large  boats  made 
of  skins  to  the  ship,  which  stood  some  little  distance 
out  at  sea. 

While  on  shore  one  night,  a  great  gale  came  up,  and 
in  the  morning  the  ship  was  not  to  be  seen.  It  was  sev- 
eral days  before  she  appeared,  her  sails  much  damaged 
by  wind  and  storm.  Mr.  Hunt  hastened  to  re-embark, 
but  here  found  new  perplexity. 

He  was  expected  at  Astoria,  according  to  the  plan 
marked  out  by  Mr.  Astor.  The  possibility  that  ho  might 
be  needed  there,  and  that  a  large  amount  of  peltries 
were  probably  awaiting  him,  afforded  important  rea- 
sons for  sailing  straight  for  that  port.  The  doubt,  on 
the  other  hand, — whether,  with  her  rent  and  tattered 
sails,  the  Beaver  could  make  the  Columbia  River  at 
this  season,  and  cross  the  dangerous  bar  with  her  valu- 
able cargo, — was  augmented  by  the  risk  they  were  tak- 
ing in  reaching  Canton  at  a  time  of  bad  market,  both 


215 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

for  the  sale  of  peltries,  and  the  purchase  of  a  return 
cargo. 

In  this  dilemma,  Mr.  Hunt  decided  to  go  directly  to 
the  Sandwich  Islands,  and  there  await  the  annual  ship 
from  New  York,  in  which  to  take  passage  to  Astoria, 
while  the  Beaver  sailed  on  to  China.  At  Woahoo,  the 
ship  was  repaired,  and  set  sail  for  China,  January  1st, 
1813,  leaving  Mr.  Hunt  on  the  island.  Alexander  Boss, 
in  his  journal,  gives  the  Captain  of  the  ship,  not  Mr. 
Hunt,  the  credit  for  this  unwise  decision. 

Captain  Sowle  found  Mr.  Astor 's  letter  at  Canton, 
' '  giving  him  information  of  the  war,  and  directing  him 
to  carry  the  intelligence  to  Astoria. "  In  the  Captain's 
reply,  he  refused  to  comply  with  his  orders,  saying,  "he 
would  wait  the  return  of  peace,  and  then  come  home/' 
With  Mr.  Hunt  on  the  Sandwich  Islands,  Captain 
Sowle  and  the  Beaver  at  Canton,  and  the  Astorians 
waiting  for  both,  Mr.  Astor 's  most  carefully-laid  plans 
were  going  awry,  while  one  order  after  another  was 
disregarded. 

Captain  Sowle  was  offered  one  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  dollars  for  the  furs,  that  had  cost  him  twenty- 
five  thousand  in  trading  goods,  but  refused  it;  a  profit 
which  would  have  been  greatly  increased  by  a  return 
cargo,  the  knowledge  of  which  would  have  lifted  the 
downcast  Astorians.  After  this  prices  went  down,  and 


216 


England's  Trophy 


the  Captain  borrowed  money,  and  laid  up  his  ship  to 
await  the  return  of  peace. 

Month  after  month  Mr.  Hunt  waited  on  the  Sand- 
wich Islands.  It  was  not  till  the  following  June  that  he 
heard  of  the  war  with  England,  from  Captain  Smith 
of  the  Albatross,  arrived  from  China.  He  now  under- 
stood the  non-arrival  of  the  annual  ship,  and  at  once 
chartered  the  Albatross  to  carry  him  and  supplies  to 
Astoria,  where  he  arrived  in  August,  a  little  over  a 
year  after  leaving  the  fort. 

Mr.  Hunt's  surprise  was  extreme  when  he  learned 
of  the  decision  to  abandon  Astoria.  He  pointed  out  the 
success  of  the  late  voyage,  and  the  arrangements  made 
with  Russia,  but  soon  found  that  the  matter  had  gone 
too  far  for  his  influence  to  serve  as  a  counter  check. 
Most  discouraging  reports  of  the  trade  with  the  in- 
terior were  also  presented  to  him. 

He  had  from  the  first  been  somewhat  overwhelmed 
by  the  enormous  expense  involved,  and  was  corres- 
pondingly disheartened  by  the  heavy  losses.  Not  fully 
comprehending  the  wide  area  of  Mr.  Astor's  business 
operations,  and  his  custom  of  operating  with  large 
amounts,  the  losses  seemed  ruinous.  When  brought  re- 
luctantly to  acquiesce  in  the  partners'  decision,  his  one 
care  was  to  bring  the  business  to  a  close,  with  as  little 
further  loss  to  Mr.  Astor  as  possible. 


217 


The   Original  John  Jacob   Astor 

There  was  a  large  quantity  of  valuable  furs  to  be 
disposed  of,  and  thirty-two  natives  of  the  Sandwich  Is- 
lands to  be  conveyed  back  to  their  country,  and  they 
needed  a  ship.  It  was  resolved  that  Mr.  Hunt  should 
sail  in  the  Albatross  in  quest  of  such  a  vessel,  and 
should  return  by  January  1st,  with  a  fresh  supply  of 
provisions.  If  Mr.  Hunt  should  not  return  when  ex- 
pected, certain  arrangements  should  be  made  with  Mc- 
Tavish  for  a  transfer  of  such  men  as  should  be  dis- 
posed, to  the  Northwest  Company,  the  latter  becoming 
responsible  for  the  wages  due  them,  on  receiving  an 
equivalent  in  goods.  Mr.  McDougal  proposed  that  in 
case  of  Mr.  Hunt's  non-arrival,  arrangements  with  Mr. 
McTavish  be  left  entirely  to  him. 

Mr.  Hunt  reached  the  Marquesas  safely,  but  found  it 
impossible  to  obtain  a  ship,  in  the  face  of  the  report 
that  the  British  frigate  Phoebe,  a  store  ship  and  two 
sloops  of  war,  had  set  sail  for  the  Pacific,  bound,  it  was 
supposed,  for  the  Columbia  river.  In  this  suspense, 
Mr.  Hunt  was  held  at  Marquesas  until  November  23rd, 
when  he  sailed  in  the  Albatross  for  the  Sandwich  Is- 
lands. 

Meanwhile  the  Lark,  so  eagerly  watched  for,  had  met 
with  storms  that  had  wrecked  her,  and  Mr.  Hunt  found 
such  of  her  crew  as  were  saved,  at  Owyee,  where  he 
arrived  on  December  20th.  Orders  sent  by  Mr.  Astor 


218 


England's   Trophy 


on  the  Lark,  was  immediately  carried  out.  A  brig  was 
purchased  for  ten  thousand  dollars,  called  the  Pedler, 
and  Captain  Northrop,  of  the  Lark,  was  put  in  com- 
mand. In  a  month  they  sailed  for  Astoria,  with  the 
purpose  of  removing  the  goods  and  valuables  as  quickly 
as  possible,  to  the  allied  Russian  settlement  on  the 
Northeast  coast,  and  so  prevent  them  from  falling  into 
the  hands  of  the  British. 

A  few  weeks  after  Mr.  Hunt  set  sail  in  the  Albatross, 
Mr.  McKenzie  started  with  two  canoes  manned  by 
twelve  men,  for  the  posts  of  Stuart  and  Clarke,  to  in- 
form them  of  the  new  arrangements  of  the  partners. 
Before  he  had  gone  a  hundred  miles  he  met  a  fleet  of 
ten  canoes  sweeping  down  stream  under  British  col- 
ors, the  Canadian  oarsmen  singing  as  usual  as  they 
rowed. 

It  was  McTavish  and  another  Northwest  partner, 
with  seventy-five  men  in  all,  on  their  way  to  meet  the 
Phoebe  and  the  Isaac  Todd,  when  they  should  arrive 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia.  They  had  Mr.  Clarke 
with  them  as  a  passenger. 

Mr.  McKenzie 's  party  turned  about,  and  in  the 
night,  the  two  partners  of  the  Pacific  Fur  Company  de- 
cided to  start  before  daybreak,  and  warn  their  own  post 
of  the  coming  arrivals.  When  they  were  ready  to  move 
they  found  they  had  companions  in  this  advance  jour- 


219 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

ney,  in  a  small  number  from  the  Northwest  party,  in- 
cluding McTavish  himself. 

There  was  nothing  to  do  but  accept  the  situation, 
both  parties  reaching  Astoria  on  October  7th.  The 
Northwest  Company  encamped  near  the  fort,  and 
hoisted  the  British  colors.  Whereupon  the  young  Ameri- 
cans in  the  fort  were  for  running  up  the  American 
flag,  but  were  prevented  by  McDougal.  They  were  as- 
tonished at  the  prohibition,  and  indignant  at  the  atti- 
tude of  the  Northwesters.  The  next  day  McDougal  read 
his  men  a  letter  from  his  uncle,  Mr.  Angus  Shaw,  a 
partner  of  the  Northwest  Company,  in  which  the  com- 
ing of  the  Phoebe  and  the  Isaac  Todd  was  announced, 
"to  take  and  destroy  everything  American  on  the 
Northwest  coast. ' ' 

McDougal  had  not  correctly  guaged  American  loy- 
alty. The  clerks,  who  were  citizens  of  the  United  States, 
were  already  deeply  indignant  at  "having  their  na- 
tional flag  struck  by  a  Canadian  commander,  and  the 
British  flag  flowed,  as  it  were,  in  their  faces."  They 
were  excited  and  angry  at  the  taunts  of  the  Northwest- 
ers, and  were  ready  to  nail  their  colors  to  the  staff  and 
defy  everything  British. 

The  frigate  could  not  get  within  many  miles  of  them, 
they  said,  and  they  would  finish  their  boats  with  their 
cannon.  But  these  youths  were  not  in  command,  and 


220 


England's  Trophy 


a  calculating  head  that  felt  no  such  patriotic  pride, 
was  making  preparations  to  turn  over  the  goods  and 
peltries,  both  in  Astoria  and  the  interior,  to  Mr.  McTav- 
ish.  The  Americans  looked  on  with  wrath  and  scorn. 
To  them  McDougal  was  acting  a  disloyal  part. 

The  Northwest  party  had  lost  their  ammunition,  and 
had  no  trading  goods  to  exchange  for  food.  The  Astori- 
ans  had  provisions  and  the  protection  of  a  fort;  sixty 
men  with  arms,  ammunition  and  boats ;  and  even  should 
the  frigate  appear,  they  still  could  retreat  to  the  in- 
terior to  some  place  of  concealment  with  their  valuables. 

But  McDougal  was  not  to  be  moved  by  courageous 
counsels,  and  on  the  16th  of  October  "the  furs  and 
merchandise  belonging  to  Mr.  Astor  were  sold  to  the 
Northwest  Company,  for  about  one-third  of  their 
value/'  those  who  purchased  setting  the  prices.  Mc- 
Dougal took  the  position  ''that  he  made  the  best  bar- 
gain for  Mr.  Astor  that  circumstances  would  permit; 
the  frigate  being  hourly  expected,  in  which  case  the 
whole  property  of  that  gentleman  would  be  liable  to 
capture. ' ' 

In  spite  of  these  professions,  many  of  those  present 
at  the  transaction  felt  that  McDougal's  course,  in  the 
face  of  difficulty  and  danger,  bore  no  resemblance  to 
the  courageous,  self -sacrificing  and  conscientious  action 


221 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

of  Mr.  Hunt,  David  and  Robert  Stuart,  and  others  of 
the  Astorians. 

Mr.  Astor,  writing  to  Mr.  Hunt  afterward,  said, 
1  'Had  our  place  and  our  property  been  fairly  captured, 
I  should  have  preferred  it.  I  should  not  feel  as  if  I 
were  disgraced."  McDougal,  soon  after  this  incident, 
became  a  member  of  the  Northwest  Company. 

On  the  30th  of  November,  a  sail  was  sighted  off  Cape 
Disappointment,  and  a  ship  of  war  came  to  anchor  i;i 
Baker's  bay.  Since  there  was  no  merchant  vessel  ac- 
companying it,  there  were  grave  doubts  to  which  na- 
tion it  might  belong.  In  this  emergency,  McDougal 
showed  most  unexpected  initiative.  Two  barges  were 
loaded  with  packages  of  furs  bearing  the  Northwest 
mark,  and  hurried  off  to  Tongue  Point,  three  miles  up 
the  river.  There  McDougal  would  signal  them,  and 
should  the  ship  of  war  prove  to  be  an  American,  they 
would  have  a  good  start  in  getting  away  into  the  interior. 

McDougal,  himself,  launched  a  canoe  and  started  for 
the  ship,  telling  his  men  to  pass  themselves  off  as 
American  or  British  as  the  case  might  be.  The  British 
sloop  of  war,  Raccoon,  of  twenty-six  guns,  had  brought 
Mr.  John  McDonald,  a  partner  of  the  Northwest  Com- 
pany to  Astoria.  The  Phoebe  and  the  Cherub  had  been 
turned  off  in  search  of  Commodore  Porter,  who  was 
doing  mischief  among  the  British  whale  ships,  and  the 


222 


England's   Trophy 


Isaac  Todd  had  separated  from  the  others  in  a  storm 
off  Cape  Horn. 

The  Raccoon  had  continued  on  its  way  to  Astoria,  in 
full  expectation  of  the  profit  to  be  gained  by  the  cap- 
ture of  the  post.  Their  disappointment  and  chagrin 
was  great  when  they  found  that  through  a  commercial 
arrangement,  their  anticipated  booty  had  become  the 
property  of  the  Northwest  Company,  which  had  been  in- 
strumental in  sending  them  on  this  fool's  errand.  Cap- 
tain Black  is  said  to  have  exclaimed  at  this  juncture : 
"The  Yankees  are  always  beforehand  with  us." 

Old  Comcomly,  with  a  train  of  Chinook  warriors, 
came  in  war-paint  to  fight  beside  their  white  friends. 

"King  George,"  said  Comcomly,  "has  sent  his  great 
canoe  to  destroy  the  fort,  and  make  slaves  of  all  the  in- 
habitants. Shall  we  suffer  it?  The  Americans  are  the 
first  white  men  who  have  fixed  themselves  in  the  land. 
They  have  treated  us  like  brothers.  Their  great  chief 
has  taken  my  daughter  to  be  his  squaw;  we  are,  there- 
fore, one  people." 

It  would  be  an  easy  matter,  he  said,  to  kill  all  King 
George's  men  who  tried  to  land.  The  ships  could  not 
get  within  six  miles  of  the  fort.  Those  who  came  in 
small  boats  they  would  shoot  down  under  cover  of  the 
woods  as  they  set  foot  on  land. 

But  McDougal  assured  his  bewildered  father-in-law 


223 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 


that  their  war-like  assistance  was  not  needed,  and  ad- 
vised them  to  go  home  and  wash  off  the  war-paint,  and 
return  and  help  receive  the  visitors  courteously.  On  the 
12th  of  December,  1813,  Captain  Black  "took  a  British 
Union  Jack  and  caused  it  to  be  run  up  to  the  top  of  the 
flag  staff;  breaking  a  bottle  of  Maderia,  and  taking 
possession  of  the  establishment  and  country  in  the 
name  of  his  Britannic  Majesty.  He  changed  the  name 
of  Astoria  to  Fort  George." 

Comcomly  and  his  Indians  were  present,  still  failing 
to  understand  the  situation.  The  old  chief  no  longer 
swelled  witn  pride  over  his  white  son-in-law,  but  said 
his  daughter  had  made  a  mistake ;  * '  instead  of  getting  a 
great  warrior  for  a  husband,  she  had  married  herself 
to  a  squaw." 

The  Pedler  anchored  in  the  Columbia  River  in  Feb 
ruary.  When  Mr.  Hunt  learned  of  McDougal's  com- 
mercial bargain,  he  expressed  his  indignation  in  the 
strongest  terms,  and  immediately  made  an  effort  to  get 
some  of  the  furs  back.  This,  McDougal  told  him,  would 
be  possible  at  an  advance  of  fifty  per  cent.  This  over- 
ture, in  connection  with  the  discovery  that  McDougal 
had  secretly  been  a  partner  of  the  Northwest  Company 
since  December  23rd,  at  the  same  time  continuing  to 
act  as  Mr.  Astor 's  agent,  though  two  partners  of  the 
American  Fur  Company  were  present,  did  not  allay 
Mr.  Hunt's  anger. 

224 


England's  Trophy 


In  contrast  to  the  action  of  McDougal,  Ross  Cox's 
and  Alexander  Ross's  enconiums  of  Mr.  Hunt, — which 
testify  to  his  being  "a  conscientious  and  upright  man, 
a  friend  to  all  and  beloved  by  all, ' ' — stand  in  strong  re- 
lief. 

Mr.  Hunt's  main  thought  now  was  to  obtain  the 
papers  of  the  Pacific  Fur  Company,  and  bring  the 
whole  business  to  a  close.  This  he  accomplished  by 
April,  sending  the  bills  and  drafts  to  Mr.  Astor  by 
some  of  his  associates,  who  were  about  to  make  the 
land  journey  to  New  York;  having  been  given  the  op- 
portunity by  Mr.  Hunt  to  accompany  him  by  sea,  or  go 
home  by  land.  Among  the  men  who  crossed  the  Rockies 
were  Clark,  McKenzie  and  David  Stuart  of  the  partners, 
and  Gabriel  Franchere,  one  of  the  clerks  who  wrote  a 
journal  of  the  whole  venture. 

Mr.  Hunt  embarked  on  the  Pedler  with  three  of  the 
clerks.  Franchere  gives  an  added  fact  learned  from 
Mr.  Seton,  who  was  one  of  the  clerks  who  sailed 
with  Mr.  Hunt.  "They  sailed  from  the  Columbia  to 
the  Russian  establishment  at  Norfolk  Sound,  and  while 
there  Mr.  Seton  learned  from  Captain  Pigot,  of  the 
English  signal  ship — 'Forester',  that  after  despatch- 
ing the  Lark  from  New  York,  fearing  that  she  might 
be  intercepted  by  the  British,  Mr.  Astor  sent  orders  to 
his  correspondent  in  England,  "to  purchase  and  fit 


225 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

out  a  British  bottom,  and  despatch  her  to  the  Columbia 
to  relieve  the  establishment."  Franchere  comments: 
"This  shows  the  solicitude  and  perseverence  of  Mr. 
Astor. "  All  the  travelers  arrived  in  time  at  their 
destination,  bearing  their  stories  to  the  President  of 
the  Pacific  Fur  Company. 

Mr.  Hunt  subsequently  returned  to  St.  Louis,  and  be- 
came Governor  of  the  State  of  Missouri. 

After  peace  was  restored  in  1814,  Astoria,  with  the 
surrounding  country,  reverted  to  the  United  States.  A 
law  passed  in  1815  prohibited  "all  traffic  of  British 
traders  within  the  territory  of  the  United  States." 
This  seemed  to  be  the  opportune  time  for  Mr.  Astor  to 
revive  his  favorite  enterprise,  but  the  Northwest  Com- 
pany was  now  in  full  possession  of  the  Columbia,  and 
any  effort  to  dislodge  them,  would  have  brought  about 
a  bloody  contest. 

Mr.  Astor,  therefore,  did  not  think  it  wise  to  revive 
the  undertaking  without  the  protection  of  the  American 
flag.  He  accordingly  "made  an  informal  overture  to 
Mr.  Madison,  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
through  Mr.  Gallatin,  offering  to  renew  his  great  ven- 
ture and  to  re-establish  Astoria,  provided  it  would  be 
protected  by  the  American  flag,  and  made  a  military 
post;  stating  that  the  whole  force  required  would  not 
exceed  a  Lieutenant's  command." 


226 


England's  Trophy 


The  application  was  favorably  received,  but  nothing 
was  ever  done  about  it,  and  the  pivotal  moment  for 
American  re-occupation  of  Astoria  was  allowed  to  pass. 

Koch,  in  writing  the  "Story  of  Astoria"  in  the 
Magazine  of  American  History  says:  "Of  course  Mr' 
Astor  expected  his  venture  to  be  a  profitable  one;  but 
he  seems  to  have  been  of  the  same  class  of  merchants 
as  those  who  founded  the  British  empire  in  India.  The 
grandeur  of  the  undertaking  appears  to  have  moved 
him  far  more  than  its  prospective  profits. ' ' 

The  plan  which  circled  world-wide  about  Astoria, 
has  been  called,  "One  of  the  grandest  and  most  compre- 
hensive ever  formed  by  the  mind  of  man."  That  it 
failed  did  not  mean  the  death  of  its  beneficial  effects. 
The  great  scheme  pushed  the  questions  of  boundaries 
and  international  rights;  and  brought  within  American 
interest  and  influence  the  newly  purchased  land  beyond 
the  Mississippi,  whose  unexplored  rivers  and  plains 
went  by  the  name  of  Louisiana.  The  question  of 
dominion  over  the  vast  territory  beyond  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  after  threatening  to  disturb  our  peaceful 
relations  with  Great  Britain,  was  eventually  settled  by 
mutual  concessions*  and  Mr.  Astor  had  the  supreme  sat- 
isfaction, before  the  end  of  his  life,  of  knowing  that 
"the  flag  of  his  country  waved  over  Astoria." 


227 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 
JOHN  JACOB  ASTOE  AND  THE  WAR  OF  1812. 

MAGNIFICENT  as  the  Astorian  scheme  was,  it 
did  not  occupy  Mr.   Astor's  entire  attention 
during  the    years    between    1810-1815.    Nor 
was  his  belief  in  the  great  future  of  the  United  States 
shaken  by  the  failure  of  his  enterprise. 

He  showed  his  patriotism  in  practical  acts  of  national 
value.  "In  June,  1812,  the  merchants  of  New  York 
memorialized  the  Government  in  favor  of  the  embargo, 
and  although  for  a  time  it  almost  annihilated  the  com- 
merce of  the  port,  the  name  of  John  Jacob  Astor  headed 
the  list." 

"From  the  beginning  of  the  war,  the  support  of  the 
treasury  of  the  United  States  came  chiefly  from  the 
middle  States.  A  loan  of  sixteen  million  dollars  was 
authorized  by  Congress  in  December,  1812."  Albert 
Gallatin,  who  had  immigrated  from  Geneva,  Switzer- 
land, in  his  boyhood,  coming  to  America  with  a  letter  of 
introduction  from  Benjamin  Franklin,  and  thereafter 
becoming  a  large  land-owner  in  Virginia,  was  Secretary 
of  the  Treasury.  His  conduct  of  the  office  is  said  to 

228 


War  of    1812 


have  "ranked  among  the  finest  illustrations  of  financial 
ability  known."  His  influence  "saved  the  loan." 

David  Parish  and  Stephen  Girard  in  Philadelphia, 
and  John  Jacob  Astor  in  New  York,  all  personal  friends 
of  the  great  financier,  "took  over  ten  millions  for  them- 
selves and  their  friends. ' '  All  of  these  men  who  risked 
their  treasure  for  their  country  were  foreign  born. 

"Mr.  Astor  upheld  the  Government  as  the  largest 
individual  subscriber  to  the  United  States  loans  of 
that  period."  The  young  man, — who  shortly  after  his 
arrival  in  America,  found  it  impossible  to  obtain  a  loan 
of  two  hundred  dollars,  and  compromised  with  his 
brother  Henry,  for  a  gift  of  one  hundred,  and  a  prom- 
ise never  to  borrow  of  him  again, — in  middle  life  will- 
ingly made  a  loan  to  his  country  of  millions  of  dollars. 

The  great  shipping  merchant  was  fortunate  in  receiv- 
ing several  cargoes  of  tea  during  the  war,  which  had 
escaped  capture  by  the  British  cruisers.  All  the  dry 
goods  merchants  bought  goods  of  the  large  shipping 
houses,  often  whole  cargoes  from  the  vessels  which  had 
successfully  run  the  blockade,  and  come  into  port. 
Shipping  goods  were  also  smuggled  through  Canada. 

Mr.  Bobbins  had  been  steadily  prospering  in  business 
since  he  learned  the  dry  goods  trade  of  Henry  Laverty. 
He  and  John  Jacob  Astor  were  warm  friends,  and  both 
of  them  were  directors  in  the  celebrated  Globe  Insur- 


229 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

ance  Company.  Mr.  Robbing  was  one  of  those  who 
purchased  entire  cargoes  of  Mr.  Astor,  the  two  men  fre- 
quently conducting  large  commercial  transactions  in  a 
most  laconic  manner. 

At  one  time  Mr.  Robbins  had  bought  an  enormous 
quantity  of  nankeens,  valuable  goods  of  that  day,  of 
John  Hone  and  Sons.  The  only  remaining  lot  in  the 
market  was  held  by  Mr.  Astor.  Mr.  Robbins  was  deter- 
mined to  avoid  competition,  so  went  around  to  Mr. 
Astor 's  store,  69  Pine  Street,  corner  of  Pearl,  and  told 
him  what  he  wanted.  The  proprietor  led  the  way  to  a 
long  counter  in  the  center  of  the  store,  dusted  its  sur- 
face, and  laid  down  a  sample  of  the  nankeens. 

* '  How  many  have  you  ? ' '  asked  Mr.  Robbing. 

Mr.  Astor  named  the  quantity. 

"What  is  your  price?" 

The  price  was  given. 

"Ill  take  them  all,"  said  Robbins. 

"Have  them  to-day?" 

"Yes,  send  them  up  to  450  Pearl  Street." 

The  author  of  "Old  Merchants  of  New  York,"  who 
tells  this  story,"  says  Mr.  Astor:  "He  asked  but  one 
price,  and  he  never  departed  from  it.  He  represented 
everything  as  it  was,  and  never  deceived  anybody.  He 
never  told  a  lie  to  sell  a  lot  of  goods,  even  by  implica- 


230 


War  of  1812 


tion.  They  were  always  found  to  be  as  he  had  repre- 
sented them." 

At  times,  Mr.  Robbins  joined  with  another  merchant 
in  the  purchase  of  a  cargo  of  valuable  French  goods, 
silks,  velvets,  laces,  etc.,  which  were  much  sought  after 
by  the  fashionable  world,  and  profit  upon  them  had 
been  known  to  reach  three  hundred  per  cent. 

The  dry  goods  merchants  also  sent  orders  by  the  mer- 
chant vessels,  for  other  commodities  besides  those  con- 
nected with  their  trade.  Laverty  and  Gantley  im- 
ported rare  French  Spode,  and  dainty  cathedral  clocks, 
with  chimes  in  the  Belfry  of  Notre  Dame  and  vases  deli- 
cate in  design,  and  exquisite  in  workmanship. 

Mr.  Astor 's  one  extra vegance  is  said  to  have  been  in 
providing  himself,  at  any  cost,  with  news  and  in- 
formation which  would  keep  him  in  intimate  touch  with 
his  operations  all  over  the  globe.  A  striking  instance 
of  this  habit,  was  that  of  his  receiving  intelligence  from 
Montreal,  by  special  relays,  of  the  signing  of  the  Treaty 
of  Ghent,  December  24th,  1814,  which  restored  peace 
between  Great  Britain  and  the  United  States.  This 
was  two  days  earlier  than  the  news  reached  the  Ameri- 
can Government,  to  which  it  gave  him  great  pleasure 
to  make  the  announcement. 

Charles  Astor  Bristed,  a  grandson  of  John  Jacob 
Astor,  tells  of  an  incident  connected  with  this  Treaty 


231 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

of  Peace.  "After  the  Treaty  of  Ghent  was  concluded, 
Mr.  Astor  said  to  his  friend,  Albert  Gallatin,  'I  am 
very  much  pleased  with  all  that  you  gentlemen  (the 
Commissioners)  have  accomplished,  but  there  are  some 
things  which  you  ought  not  to  have  left  undone.  You 
should  have  settled  more  definitely  the  question  of  the 
Columbia  territory.* 

"Mr.  Gallatin  was  a  most  able  and  long-headed  man, 
but  even  he  did  not  appreciate  the  correctness  of  his 
friend's  view,  and  attributed  to  personal  feelings,  the 
importance  which  Mr.  Astor  attached  to  the  subject. 
He  answered  with  a  smile:  ' Never  mind  Mr.  Astor,  it 
will  be  time  enough  for  our  great-grandchildren  to  talk 
about  that  in  two  hundred  years. ' 

"  'If  we  live,'  replied  John  Jacob  Astor,  'we  shall 
see  trouble  about  it  in  less  than  forty  years.  Mr. 
Astor  lived  to  see  his  prediction  verified  within  the 
given  time." 

One  who  knew  Mr.  Astor  well,  said  of  him.  "He  saw 
further  into  the  interests,  capacities  and  destiny  of  the 
country  of  his  adoption,  than  those  who  were  at  the 
head  of  the  government." 

With  the  return  of  peace,  and  the  withdrawal  of  the 
British  squadron  from  New  York,  Mr.  Astor  resumed 
his  regular  consignment  of  furs  to  England  and  China, 


232 


War  of   1812 


and  continued  his  shipping  activities  until  his  retire 
ment  from  commerce  in  1827. 

John  Jacob  Astor's  Captains  were  men  whose  reputa- 
tion shone  with  no  borrowed  luster.  The  great  ship- 
owner's choice  of  men  to  serve  in  his  far-reaching  ven- 
tures, was  usually  so  wise,  that  to  be  one  of  Astor's 
Captains  spoke  volumes  in  itself.  John  Whetten,  who 
in  his  early  manhood,  had  advised  young  Astor  what 
ship  to  take  to  America,  was  later  one  of  his  Captains. 
Through  Mr.  Astor's  marriage  with  Miss  Sarah  Todd, 
who  was  the  sister  of  John  Whetten 's  mother,  the  two 
young  men  had  become  relatives. 

Augustus  DePeyster  is  said  to  have  taken  to  the 
sea  in  his  boyhood  as  naturally  "as  a  duck  to  wa- 
ter." He  sailed  a  number  of  voyages  with  Captain 
John  Whetten,  and  also  with  Captain  Cowman, 
whom  his  employer  was  in  the  habit  of  calling  his 
"King  of  Captains."  Captain  Cowman  was  a  very 
severe,  stern  man,  but  a  good  sailor,  and  a  skilled 
navigator.  Such  training  was  likely  to  serve  young 
DePeyster  in  good  stead,  and  he  passed  from  sailor  to 
mate,  and  then  to  Captain,  in  Mr.  Astor 's  employ. 

He  fought  French  privateers  and  came  off  victorious, 
sailed  with  his  owner  on  board  as  passenger  to  Europe, 
and  had  the  honor  of  commanding  the  brig  "Seneca"  be 
longing  to  Mr.  Astor,  which  caried  the  "Proclamation 


233 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

of  Peace  in  1815,  in  fifty-five  days  to  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope,  and  then  to  Java,  and  China ".  Captain  De 
Peyster  continued  in  the  China  trade  until  1828.  He  fol- 
lowed Captain  Whetten  as  Governor  of  the  Sailors' 
Snug  Harbor  at  Staten  Island,  and  could  spin  a  sea 
yarn  excelled  by  none. 

Captain  Isaac  Chauncy  was  another  of  these  noted 
Captains.  He  was  energetic  and  fearless,  and  made 
several  successful  voyages  to  the  East  Indies  as  a  com- 
mander of  Mr.  Astor 's  vessels.  Captain  Chauncy  was 
later  head  of  the  New  York  Navy  Yard,  appointed  chief 
in  command  of  the  waters  of  the  Lakes,  and  superin- 
tended the  forming  of  the  Navy.  His  gallantry  was 
conspicuous  in  engagements  off  Tripoli. 

John  Jacob  Astor,  John  Bobbins,  Nathaniel  Prime, 
and  John  Hone,  once  served  as  a  committee  to  look 
into  the  advisability  of  a  loan  asked  for  by  the  State 
of  Ohio.  This  State  of  the  middle  west,  had  witnessed 
the  success  of  the  Erie  Canal,  and  wished  to  follow  New 
York  in  the  matter  of  internal  improvements. 

Commissioners  came  on  to  Wall  street  to  raise  money, 
first  applying  to  Nathaniel  Prime,  and  he  advised  put- 
ting the  matter  in  the  hands  of  the  four  financiers  men- 
tioned. 

The  committee  held  a  session  extending  over  a  night 
and  a  day,  looking  over  Ohio 's  papers,  carefully  examin- 


234 


War  of   1812 


ing  every  document,  and  searching  into  the  laws  of  the 
State.  After  their  long  and  discriminating  examination 
and  consultation,  they  voted  in  favor  of  loaning  the 
State  the  financial  assistance  she  asked  for,  provided 
Ohio's  Legislature  would  insert  in  the  law  creating  the 
loan,  a  clause  which  they  mentioned,  concerning  taxa- 
tion. 

Upon  receiving  their  answer,  the  commissioners 
started  for  the  Capital  of  Ohio.  The  Legislature  was 
in  session,  and  it  promptly  amended  the  law  as  re- 
quested by  the  money-kings  of  Wall  Street.  Then  the 
agents  returned  to  New  York,  and  obtained  all  the 
money  Ohio  needed. 

As  time  passed,  Mr.  Astor  was  frequently  consulted 
by  the  United  States  Treasury  upon  financial  subjects; 
and  entered  into  correspondence  with  Hen!ry  Clay, 
James  Monroe,  Thomas  Jefferson,  President  Madison, 
and  Albert  Gallatin,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  on 
varied  questions  of  finance. 

In  1816  Mr.  Astor  was  appointed  a  Director  of  the 
Bank  of  the  United  States,  Mr.  Gallatin  was  also  a 
director  of  this  bank,  and  out  of  these  days  of  service 
together,  a  still  warmer  friendship  grew  up  between  the 
two  men,  causing  them  to  be  frequently  seen  in  each 
other's  company. 


235 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

LANDLORD  AND  AIRLORD. 

WHEN  John  Jacob  Astor,  as  a  young  immigrant, 
first  became  familiar  with  the  streets  of  New 
York,  one  old  writer  describes  it  as  a  "snug, 
leafy  town,  of  twenty -five  thousand  inhabitants." 

These  had  settled  for  the  most  part  below  Courtland 
Street.  By  1800,  the  city  had  more  than  doubled  its 
population,  and  had  grown  a  mile  up  the  island.  The 
successful  fur  dealer,  of  keen  brain  and  clear  vision,  felt 
assured  that  this  doubling  of  population,  and  covering 
of  space  would  repeat  itself,  and  acting  on  this  sup- 
position, began  to  buy  real  estate. 

He  had  no  interest  in  dwelling  houses,  or  business 
places,  but  sought  farm  land,  which  often  caused  his 
friends  to  banter  him  on  throwing  away  money  on 
pasture  land,  so  far  from  the  compact  part  of  the  town. 

The  haystacks  of  the  Bayards  stood  on  a  broad  sweep 
of  land  which  is  now  Lower  Broadway,  but  they  were 
glad  to  sacrifice  good  crops,  for  what  seemed  to  them 
greater  profits,  in  the  shape  of  two  hundred  and  three 
hundred  dollars  a  lot,  from  John  Jacob  Astor. 

236 


Landlord  and  Airlord 


John  Semlar  and  his  wife  sold  their  East  Side  farm 
and  ropewalk  for  twenty  thousand  dollars,  and  most  of 
the  vast  Astor  property  on  the  East  Side  to-day,  is  built 
upon  the  Seralar  meadows  and  cornfields. 

Not  all  of  the  property  Mr.  Astor  bought  was  well- 
cultivated  land.  Much  of  it  was  marsh  and  rock,  and 
the  sellers  of  those  days,  considered  themselves  fortunate 
in  getting  a  fair  price  for  ground  which  must,  of  neces- 
sity, prove  unproductive.  It  was  a  rich  opportunity,  a 
real  estate  boom,  in  which  those  wishing  to  exchange 
farm  or  occupation,  hastened  to  offer  their  land  for  sale. 
Mr.  Astor 's  best  friends  pleaded  with  him  not  to  risk  a 
fortune  already  won,  in  a  venture  whose  success  de- 
pended on  the  growth  of  a  city,  whose  popularity  might 
any  day  turn  into  some  new  channel.  Their  advice  was  in 
vain.  The  man  who  had  reckoned  chances  over  seas, 
and  across  continents,  trusted  his  own  acute  judgment 
in  this  nearer  venture. 

Property  that  seemed  to  the  onlookers  worth  retain- 
ing, Mr.  Astor  parted  with.  In  one  instance,  he  sold 
a  Wall  Street  house  for  eight  thousand  dollars.  After 
the  papers  were  signed,  the  purchaser  seemed  inclined 
to  congratulate  himself  over  his  bargain  at  the  seller's 
expense. 

"Why,  Mr.  Astor,"  he  said,  "in  a  few  yeans  this  lot 
will  bring  half  again  its  present  value." 


237 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

"Very  true,"  replied  the  financier,  "but  now  you 
shall  see  what  I  will  do  with  the  money.  With  eight 
thousand  dollars,  I  will  buy  eighty  lots  above  Canal 
Street.  By  the  time  your  lot  is  worth  twelve  thousand 
dollars,  my  lots  will  be  worth  eighty  thousand  dollars." 
This  prediction  was  in  the  end  fulfilled.  A  portion  of 
Governor  Clinton's  Greenwich  country  place,  was  ac- 
quired by  the  great  land-buyer,  and  is  now  covered  by 
wholesale  buildings. 

Medcef  Eden  and  John  Cosine  both  inherited  broad 
acres  of  farm  land,  the  former  in  1797,  the  latter  in 
1809.  The  Eden  farm  extended  on  the  old  Blooming- 
dale  road,  now  Broadway,  from  Forty-second  to  Forty- 
sixth  Streets,  stretching  in  a  diagonal  line  north-west- 
ward to  the  Hudson  River.  The  heir  of  this  valuable 
estate  seems  to  have  frittered  it  away,  and  Mr.  Astor, 
improving  his  opportunity,  purchased  it. 

The  charming  old  Eden  homestead,  with  gambrel 
roof,  wide  porch,  and  deep  chimney,  shadowed  by  great 
trees,  did  not  suggest  city  streets.  Neither  did  the 
broad,  hospitable  carriage  road,  bordered  with  great 
elms  that  led  to  it,  or  the  sun-kissed  pond  reflecting  the 
tender  greens  of  spring,  or  the  rich  autmn  hues,  in  its 
quiet  depths.  City  streets  through  the  Eden  farm! 
Only  John  Jacob  Astor  could  see  them!  As  soon  have 


238 


Landlord  and  Airlord 


expected  them,  some  thought,  in  the  first  garden  that 
went  by  that  name. 

Mr.  Astor  continued  to  buy  farms.  The  Cosine  farm 
came  into  his  hands  through  the  chancery  courts,  and 
extended  from  Fifty-third  to  Fifth-seventh  Streets,  on 
Broadway,  and  westward  again  to  the  Hudson  River. 

John  Jacob  Astor  was  fast  acquiring  land  along  the 
river  front  and  backward,  equal  to  that  of  the  great 
Manors  further  north.  The  land,  however,  was  not  to 
be  portioned  out  in  leases  to  small  farmers,  as  that  of 
the  Manors,  but  was  to  be  squared  off  into  city  streets, 
which  its  purchaser  saw  in  his  dreams. 

John  Jacob  Astor  always  believed  in  the  supreme 
destiny  of  New  York,  and  he  himself  gave  it  a  mighty 
impetus  toward  that  destiny.  Two  great  Astor  Hotels 
stand  on  the  old  Bloomingdale  road  to-day,  and  west- 
ward hundreds  of  dwellings  occupy  the  old  Eden  farm ; 
and  hundreds  more  have  been  erected  on  the  farm  of 
John  Cosine. 

Trinity  Corporation  was  land  poor  in  Mr.  Astor 's 
time,  and  many  a  sale  of  lots  on  the  church  farm  were 
made  to  Mr.  Astor,  enabling  them  to  meet  current  ex- 
penses, pay  salaries,  build  parish  schools,  and  care  for 
their  poor. 

One  of  Trinity's  ninety-nine  year  leases,  covering  a 
third  of  its  great  farm,  was  held  by  Aaron  Burr.  Rich- 


239 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

mond  Hill  was  famous  in  those  days,  with  the  silver- 
tongued  Burr  as  host,  and  his  brilliant  daughter,  Theo- 
dosia,  as  its  charming  hostess.  The  place  itself  was  pic- 
turesque, with  wide  stretches  of  wild  land,  including 
swamps,  rocky  ledges  and  barren  commons,  lying  all  the 
way  from  Canal  Street  on  to  Bloomingdale.  But  Aaron 
Burr  lived  recklessly  and  extravagantly,  and  between 
heavy  mortgages,  and  his  quarrel  with  Hamilton,  ruin 
stared  him  in  the  face.  The  city  was  moving  up  to- 
ward Richmond  Hill,  and  John  Jacob  Astor  bought  the 
place  for  one  hundred  and  sixty  thousand  dollars,  thus 
smoothing  for  a  time  the  roughness  of  Aaron  Burr's 
checkered  career.  Worthless  as  the  purchase  seemed 
at  the  time,  it  was  one  of  Mr.  Astor 's  most  valuable  in- 
vestments. 

These  acquisitions  were  made  with  such  judgment, 
as  frequently  to  be  sold  after  a  few  years,  at  double  or 
treble  the  original  price.  The  idea  that  the  great  land- 
buyer  never  parted  with  his  purchases,  is  contradicted 
by  the  estate  books,  which  record  the  sale  of  many  plots 
of  land,  during  the  buyer's  lifetime,  and  still  more  by 
his  descendants,  during  the  remainder  of  the  century. 
That  this  was  a  species  of  farming  that  paid,  was  proved 
many  times  over  during  the  succeeding  years. 

Mr.  Astor 's  land  speculations  were  not  confined  en- 
tirely to  the  prospective  city  of  New  York,  for  through 


240 


THE     PICTURESQUE 

THE  FARM  EXTENDED  FROM  FORTY-SECOND  TO  FORTY-SIXTH  STREET,' 

"From  the  Mural  Decoration  by 


a~ 


*8B!3P8P^ffi^^ 


THE    OLD    OFFICE    OF    THE  ASTOR   ESTATE 
IN   PRINCE   STREET 


Courtesy  of  the 


EDEN     FARM 

AND  FROM  BROADWAY  TO  THE  HUDSON  RIVER 

Edward  G.  Unitt  in  the  Hotel  Astor  " 


S.  S.   McClure  Company 


HOTEL    ASTOR 
SITUATED   ON   THE  OLD   EDEN   FARM 


Landlord  and  Airlord 


one  of  his  operations,  he  acquired  the  legal  title  to  one 
third  of  Putnam  County,  New  York  State. 

This  large  tract  of  land  belonged  to  the  estate  of 
Roger  and  Mary  Morris,  who  having  remained  loyal  to 
Great  Britian  during  the  Revolutionary  War,  forfeited 
their  right  to  the  property.  They  fled  to  England  at 
the  close  of  the  war,  and  the  State  sold  their  land  to 
loyal  American  farmers. 

But  it  appeared  that  the  original  owners  had  only  a 
life  interest  in  the  estate;  that  the  property  really  be- 
longed to  their  heirs,  with  all  the  houses,  barns,  and 
other  improvements  that  had  been  made.  Naturally 
the  heirs  felt  they  had  some  claim  which  the  State  was 
bound  to  recognize,  and  after  a  thorough  examination 
of  the  papers  concerned,  by  the  best  legal  talent  of  the 
day,  John  Jacob  Astor  bought  the  rights  of  the  heirs, 
in  1809,  for  one  hundred  thousand  dollars. 

Roger  Morris  was  dead,  and  Mary,  his  wife,  waa 
aged  and  infirm,  and  it  was  not  until  1815  that  Mr. 
Astor  pressed  his  claim.  The  farmers  living  upon  the 
land,  were  aghast.  The  estate  covered  fifty-one  thou- 
sand, one  hundred  and  two  acres,  divided  among  seven 
hundred  families,  who  were  relying  on  the  titles  given 
them  by  the  State  of  New  York. 

Commissioners  were  appointed  by  the  Legislature  to 
look  into  the  matter,  and  finding  Mr.  Astor 's  claim  a 


241 


The  Original  John  Jacab  Astor 


wholly  legal  one,  asked  for  what  sum  he  would  compro- 
mise. The  value  of  the  land  was  estimated  at  six  hundred 
and  sixty-seven  thousand  dollars,  and  Mr.  Astor  offered 
to  sell  his  claim  for  half  that  sum,  but  his  offer  was  not 
accepted. 

The  case  lingered  through  several  years,  being  brought 
up  again  in  1819,  when  Mr.  Astor  repeated  his  previous 
offer,  with  interest  added,  and  again  no  agreement 
was  reached. 

Meanwhile  the  lives  of  farmers  and  town's  people, 
with  their  fear  of  ejectment,  from  what  they  had  every 
reason  to  consider  their  own  property  with  a  clear  title, 
was  not  enviable.  It  was  not  until  1827  that  a  test  case 
was  tried,  in  which  Daniel  Webster  and  Martin  Van  Bur- 
en  stood  for  the  State,  and  Emmet,  Ogden,  and  probably 
Aaron  Burr,  though  he  did  not  appear  in  the  trial,  for 
Mr.  Astor.  Daniel  Webster  used  all  his  customary  elo- 
quence in  his  client's  behalf,  but  it  is  said  that  one 
sentence,  of  the  opposing  counsel:  ''Mr.  Astor  bought 
this  property,  confiding  in  the  justice  of  the  State  of 
New  York,  firmly  believing  that  in  the  litigation  of  his 
claim,  his  rights  would  be  maintained,"  practically  de- 
cided the  case.  The  Legislature  finally  agreed  to  Mr. 
Astor 's  own  terms,  and  he  received  about  half  a  million 
dollars  from  the  State.  The  present  owners  were  se- 


242 


Landlord  and  Airlord 


cured  in  their  titles,  and  peace  settled  over  a  large 
community. 

John  Jacob  Astor  showed  faith  in  New  York  as  no 
man  had  ever  done  before.  He  discounted  its  future 
as  he  bought  lots,  either  far  north  beyond  the  city 
limits,  or  on  the  east  or  west  sides,  where  scattered 
cottages  set  down  in  the  middle  of  lots,  did  not  sug- 
gest future  orderly  and  well-built  streets.  Mr.  Astor 's 
own  faith  in  the  city's  future,  went  a  long  way  toward 
insuring  that  future. 

The  judgment  of  the  shrewdest  business  man  of  his 
day  drew  others  after  it,  and  they  in  turn,  were  em- 
boldened to  embark  upon  ventures,  that  depended  for 
their  success  upon  the  city's  growth. 

Capital  from  Europe  sought  investment  in  New  York, 
and  men  from  all  over  the  United  States  were  drawn  to 
the  rising  town.  Year  by  year  this  era  of  confidence 
increased,  until  about  1825,  when  New  York  began  to 
take  on  her  metropolitan  aspect,  and  exert  an  influence 
abroad  as  well  as  at  home,  an  influence  which  has  gath- 
ered strength  with  each  passing  year.  At  this  time  Mr. 
Astor  was  a  multi-millionaire,  and  an  interest  in  his 
ventures  and  successes  attracted  the  whole  world. 

It  has  been  said  that  if  this  great  fortune  had  been 
acquired  in  Europe,  it  would  doubtless  have  been  util- 
ized in  "  founding  a  family,  building  grand  mansions. 


243 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

laying  out  miles  of  beautiful  grounds,  posibly  buying 
a  title;"  but  here  in  America,  its  mere  business  use 
benefitted  the  people.  As  New  York  grew,  there  was 
nothing  she  needed  so  much  as  houses,  comfortable 
homes  within  the  means  of  ordinary  people.  John 
Jacob  Astor  built  houses  as  well  as  bought  land,  built 
them  well,  and  fitted  them  out  with  the  improvements 
of  the  day,  kept  them  in  good  condition,  and  asked  fair 
rents. 

In  the  rapid  growth  of  the  city,  there  was  an  op- 
portunity to  impoverish  the  working  men  and  those  in 
moderate  circumstances,  through  the  imposition  of  ex- 
orbitant rents,  but  the  great  landlord's  course  controlled 
the  situation,  and  the  city,  and  its  citizens  profited 
thereby. 

Notwithstanding  the  extent  and  success  of  Mr.  Astor  'a 
other  business,  the  increased  value  of  his  real  estate 
operations,  was  the  largest  factor  in  the  accumlation  of 
his  immense  fortune.  He  is  said  to  have  "purchased 
land  almost  with  a  gift  of  prophecy." 

Though  this  great  German-American  financier,  did 
not  follow  his  mother-country  in  using  his  wealth  to 
set  up  a  grand  family  estate,  he  did  import  from  the 
old  world  the  idea  of  leasing  his  land.  The  larger  part 
of  his  vast  possessions  were  neither  sold  again,  nor  used 
personally  for  building  purposes,  but  leased  for  periods 


244 


LONGACRE   (TIMES)  SQUARE 

A   PART  OF  THE  OLD  EDEN  FARM.     AFTER  A  DRAWING  BY  JULES   GUERIN 
Courtesy  of  the  S.  S.    McClure  Company 


Landlord  and  Airlord 


of  twunty-one  years,  the  lessee,  after  paying  a  reason- 
able land  rent,  being  expected  to  build  houses,  make  im- 
provements, and  pay  taxes  at  his  own  expense. 

A  satisfactory  tenant  could  generally  renew  his  lease, 
and  so  continue  in  possession  of  home  or  business.  The 
system  was  never  popular  in  the  new  world,  either  as 
exercised  between  landlord  and  tenant  in  the  cities,  or 
between  Lords  of  the  Manors  and  the  farmers  on  their 
great  estates  in  the  country.  In  the  latter  case  it  led 
to  the  Anti-rent  War. 

John  Jacob  Astor,  however,  was  not  called  upon  to 
meet  a  war  of  his  tenants.  He  simply  allowed  his  land 
to  lie  idle,  until  some  tenant,  forced  by  its  favorable 
location  to  rent  it  for  business  purposes,  set  aside  his 
prejudices,  and  paid  the  rent  asked,  renewing  the  lease 
at  the  end  of  twenty-one  years,  or  leaving  the  dwellings 
and  other  improvements  to  add  to  the  value  of  the 
great  landlord's  estate.  Some  of  John  Jacob  Astor 'H 
descendents  have  improved  on  this  old  system  of  leases, 
and  when  a  lease  expires,  offer  the  land  with  its  build- 
ings to  the  lessee  at  reasonable  terms,  before  attempt- 
ing to  sell  to  others. 

John  Jacob  Astor  and  his  son,  William  B.,  occupied 
for  years  the  same  office,  a  little  one-story  building  on 
Prince  Street,  just  east  of  Broadway.  Here  both  gave 
most  careful  attention  to  the  mammoth  business  of 


245 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

which  they  were  proprietors.  William  B.  early  became 
a  partner  with  his  father  in  the  fur  business,  and  of  real 
estate  was  said  to  have  been  even  a  better  judge  than 
the  elder  Astor. 

The  Thompson  farm,  the  most  valuable  of  the  Astor 
purchases,  extending  east  and  west  of  Fifth  Avenue 
from  Thirty-second  to  Thirty-sixth  Streets,  and  upon 
which  the  Waldorf-Astoria  now  stands,  was  William  B. 
Astor 's  purchase. 

The  elder  Astor  invested  two  millions  in  real  estate. 
At  his  death  the  value  of  his  property  of  this  class,  was 
said  to  be  twenty  millions.  Yet  this  marked  accretion  in 
value  was  not  due  to  the  great  landlord's  efforts.  He 
simply  bought  his  land  in  what  seemed  to  him  the  pros- 
pective line  of  advance  of  the  city.  Then  he  gave  the 
town  time  to  grow. 

The  city  fathers  eventually  laid  out  streets  through 
his  farms,  and  occasionally  added  parks.  When  DeWitt 
Clinton,  through  his  project  of  the  Erie  Canal,  diverted 
the  enormous  trade  of  the  West  to  New  York,  and  with 
the  business,  increased  the  population  by  hundreds  of 
thousands,  one  of  John  Jacob  Astor 's  dreams  of  New 
York's  future  came  true. 

Homes  on  Astor  land  were  a  necessity,  in  order  to 
house  the  incoming  multitudes.  Railroads  and  steam- 
ships and  immigration  all  made  larger  and  more  fre- 


246 


Landlord  and  Airlord 


calls  upon  it,  and  the  farm  lands  rapidly  became 
city  streets.  Grassy  meadows  that  had  only  been  worth 
hundreds  in  the  hands  of  their  original  owners,  grew 
to  the  value  of  thousands  in  the  ownership  of  the  great 
landlord. 

Hills  where  boys  had  flown  kites  were  leveled  with 
the  ground;  stretches  of  land,  where  ball  games  had 
flourished,  became  city  blocks;  rippling  streams,  which 
the  old-time  kissing  bridges  had  spanned,  and  whose 
transparent  depths  had  mirrored  many  a  love  scene, 
were  filled  with  earth,  and  made  the  path  of  many  feet. 

So  the  city  grew,  always  along  the  surface  of  the 
ground,  which  John  Jacob  Astor  had  bought  by  foot 
and  rod.     But  stored  away  in  Mr.  Astor 's  tangible  pos 
sessions,  and  unsuspected  in  his  realistic  dreams,  was 
an  inheritance  he  never  guessed. 

The  projectors  of  the  elevated  road  and  the  subway 
carried  the  city  in  great  strides  up  to,  and  through  John 
Jacob  Astor 's  farm  lands;  and  one  morning  after  the 
elevator  had  been  proved  a  success,  the  old  landlord's 
heirs  awoke  to  find  thmselves  lords  of  acres  in  the  air. 

In  1830,  John  Jacob  Astor  was  the  only  man  in  New 
York  worth  a  million  dollars.  In  1900,  the  Astor 
estate  had  risen  in  value  to  considerably  over  two  hun- 
dred million  dollars. 


247 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 
THE  ASTOR  FAMILY. 

SEVERAL  of  the  Astor  family  came  to  this  coun- 
try from  Germany.    Henry  Astor  led  the  way, 
and  after  him  came  John  Jacob,  and  two  sis- 
ters.    The  first  of  the  sisters,  Catherine,  had  been  mar- 
ried to  George  Ehninger,  a  cordial  distiller  in  Germany. 
Her  husband  continued  his  chosen  calling  after  his  ar- 
rival in  America,  but  met  his  death  through  an  accident 
in  the  distillery. 

His  widow  was  married  a  second  time,  to  Michael 
Miller,  to  whom  she  taught  the  business,  after  which 
they  carried  it  on  together.  Catherine  Astor  had  several 
children  by  her  first  husband,  one  of  whom  joined  the 
expedtion  to  Astoria,  going  out  on  the  Beaver. 

The  second  sister  married  John  D.  Wendel,  who  was 
for  some  time  in  John  Jacob  Astor 's  employ,  but  eventu- 
ally embarked  in  the  fur  business  for  himself,  in  a  store 
in  Maiden  Lane.  His  son,  John  D.  Wendel,  Jr.,  also 
started  with  his  uncle. 

Mr.  Astor  himself  had  seven  children.  His  eldest 
daughter,  Magdalen,  married  Adrian  B.  Bentzen,  in 

248 


The  Astor  Family 


1807,  a  native  of  Denmark,  and  Governor  of  the  Island 
of  Santa  Cruz.  Several  years  later  being  left  a  widow, 
she  married  a  second  time,  Rev.  John  Bristed  of  Dor- 
chester, England.  Mr.  Bristed  had  studied  law,  and 
practiced  the  profession  to  some  extent  in  his  native 
land.  He  continued  his  practice  in  partnership  with 
Beverley  Robinson  after  coming  to  New  York,  attaining 
in  the  profession  both  distinction  and  success.  He  was 
also  an  author  of  considerable  note,  when  he  found  the 
consummation  of  his  life  work  in  the  Gospel  ministry. 

The  second  child  in  the  Astor  family,  and  eldest  son, 
who  was  his  father 's  namesake,  was  a  great  grief  to 
both  parents,  since  he  early  showed  signs  of  arrested 
development,  caused  by  an  unfortunate  accident.  To 
a  man  whose  heart  was  bound  up  in  his  children,  this 
was  a  crushing  blow.  The  boy  was  most  tenderly  cared 
for,  and  sometimes  is  said  to  have  had  periods  of  restored 
mentality,  when  he  wrote  verses  of  some  merit. 

Before  long  other  children  came  to  brighten  the  Astor 
home,  till  the  house  was  full  of  young  faces  and  happy 
voices.  In  all,  there  were  four  girls  and  three  boys, 
two  of  whom,  a  boy  and  a  girl  died  in  childhood.  Wil- 
liam B.  Astor  thus  became  his  father's  heir  from  his 
boyhood  days.  The  youth  on  which  so  much  depended, 
was  educated  at  Gottingen.  His  tastes  drew  him  to- 
ward the  society  of  literary  men,  and  he  showed  some 


249 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

talent  in  this  direction  himself.  Had  not  so  large  a 
business  fallen  upon  his  hands,  his  life  might  have  had 
quite  a  different  outcome. 

Father  and  son  were  most  congenial.  Their  first 
office  in  Vesey  Street,  extended  back  so  that  the  rear 
wall  was  on  the  line  with  the  north  side  of  their  old 
home  in  Broadway.  The  firm  carried  the  name  of 
"John  Jacob  Astor  and  Son". 

At  this  time  William  B.  lived  at  17  State  Street. 
Later,  when  the  houses  on  Broadway,  and  the  office  in 
Vesey  Street,  were  torn  down  to  make  room  for  the 
new  hotel,  the  firm  moved  their  office  to  Prince  Street. 
Meanwhile,  Henry  Astor  had  died  childless,  and  left 
his  nephew  a  large  amount  of  valuable  property.  Wil: 
liam  B.  was  a  very  rich  man  even  during  his  father'* 
lifetime. 

After  both  father  and  son  retired  from  the  China 
trade  in  1827,  William  B.  Astor  devoted  himself  to  op- 
erations in  real  estate,  lending  his  aid  generously,  to 
the  great  charities  of  the  city.  His  gifts  to  hospitals, 
churches,  asylums,  and  charitable  societies  during  his 
lifetime,  were  said  to  be  over  a  million  dollars.  He 
married  in  1818,  Margaret,  daughter  of  General  John 
Armstrong  and  Alida  Livingston. 

During  the  war  of  1812,  the  third  daughter,  Dor- 
othea, married  Walter  Langdon  of  New  Hampshire. 


250 


The  Astor  Family 


Eliza,  the  last  to  marry  and  leave  the  home  nest,  fol- 
lowed in  her  mother's  footsteps,  and  was  noted  for  her 
piety  and  benevolence.  She  was  greatly  missed,  both 
in  her  own  home  and  the  city,  when  she  married  Count 
Vincent  Ruinpff,  of  Switzerland. 

The  Count  was  minister  of  the  German  Free  Cities, 
at  Paris.  Here  he  met,  and  fell  in  love  with  Miss  As- 
tor. Afterward  Count  Rumpff  came  to  America  as 
minister  from  the  Hanseatic  towns,  and  negotiated  a 
commercial  treaty  with  Mr.  Clay,  who  was  Secretary 
of  State  under  President  Adams.  Eliza  had  no  chil- 
dren. 

The  wife  of  John  Jacob  Astor,  and  mother  of  his 
children,  was  a  most  devoted  helpmeet,  working  side  by 
side  with  her  husband  during  the  strenuous  years  of 
their  early  married  life,  sharing  with  him  griefs, 
anxieties,  and  disappointments;  and  rejoicing,  with  the 
whole  hearted  sympathy  of  a  generous  nature,  in  his 
successes. 

Her  piety  was  sincere  and  ardent.  Next  to  her  Bible, 
which  she  read  daily,  she  was  devoted  to  *  *  Doddridge  's 
Rise  and  Progress  of  Religion  in  the  Soul." 

Mrs.  Astor 's  life  closed  several  years  before  that  of 
her  husband.  She  passed  to  her  reward  in  1834,  in  her 
geventy-third  year,  after  fifty  years  of  an  unusually 
happy  life. 

251 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

Those  bound  to  him  by  blood  held  a  warm  place  in 
John  Jacob  Astor 's  heart.  His  children  found  him  a 
loving  father.  Each  of  his  daughters,  on  her  marriage, 
received  from  him  a  liberal  marriage  portion.  Mr.  As- 
tor had  several  grandchildren  before  he  died,  and  these, 
in  their  turn,  discovered  the  path  to  their  grandfath- 
er's heart  to  be  an  easy  incline. 

Julia  Ward  Howe  tells  in  her  "Reminiscences",  of 
the  marriage  of  John  Jacob  Astor 's  granddaughter,  Em- 
ily, a  daughter  of  William  B.  Astor,  to  her  eldest  broth- 
er, Samuel  Ward.  Julia  Ward  officiated  as  bridesmaid, 
and  describes  gracefully  the  rich  white  silk  which  the 
bride  wore,  a  scarf  of  some  rare  lace  in  place  of  a  veil, 
and  her  forehead  glistening  with  a  diamond  star,  the 
gift  of  her  grandfather  Astor. 

Mr.  Astor  was  a  warm  lover  of  music,  and  occasion- 
ally gave,  musical  entertainments,  when  some  noted 
singer  could  be  procured.  Mrs.  Howe  also  speaks  of 
visiting  his  house  frequently,  after  marriage  had  united 
the  two  families.  Both  Julia  Ward  and  Emily  Astor 
had  cultivated  musical  voices,  and  the  old  gentleman 
enjoyed  listening  to  their  singing.  After  taking  part 
one  evening  at  one  of  his  musical  entertainments,  and 
greatly  pleasing  their  host,  he  said  to  them:  "You  arc 
my  singing  birds. ' ' 

Listening  to  a  brilliant  waltz  on  another  occasion,  he 


252 


The  Astor  Family 


observed :  ' '  I  heard  that  at  a  fair  in  Switzerland  years 
ago.  The  Swiss  women  were  whirling  about  in  their 
red  petticoats/' 

The  young  women  were  able  to  sing  in  Mr.  Astor 's 
native  tongue,  and  occasionally  it  was  his  pleasure  to 
join  them. 

The  old  custom  of  New  Year's  calls  was  still  at  ita 
height  in  these  days,  and  Julia  Ward  Howe  remem- 
bered a  New  Year's  day  early  in  the  thirties,  when  a 
gorgeous  yellow  chariot  drew  up  before  their  door,  from 
which  John  Jacob  Astor,  a  stout,  elderly  gentleman, 
alighted,  and  came  in  to  pay  his  compliments  to  her 
father.  The  ladies  of  the  family  received  on  these  oc- 
casions, and  it  was  a  day  of  generous  hospitality,  and  a 
reviving  of  pleasant  associations  and  memories. 

The  living  descendents  of  the  first  John  Jacob  Astor, 
who  carry  his  name  in  the  United  States  to-day,  are 
William  Vincent  Astor,  Ava  Alice  Muriel  Astor,  and 
John  Jacob  Astor,  children  of  the  late  Colonel  John 
Jacob  Astor,  who  perished  in  the  sinking  of  the  Titan- 
ic, and  Henry  Astor  of  an  earlier  generation. 

William  Waldorf  Astor,  a  cousin  of  Colonel  John  Ja- 
cob Astor,  resides  in  England,  as  do  also  his  sons,  Wil- 
liam Waldorf  Astor,  Jr.,  and  John  Jacob  Astor,  and  his 
daughter,  Pauline  Astor,  wife  of  Captain  H.  Spender 
Clay.  These  families  also  have  children.  William  Wal- 


253 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

dorf  Astor,  eldest  son  of  the  eldest  son,  owns  the  larger 
part  of  the  Astor  estate  in  New  York. 

Besides  these,  the  descendents  of  John  Jacob  Astor 
bear  the  names  of  Aldrich,  Boreel,  Bristed,  Carey,  Car- 
roll, Chanler,  Chapman,  de  Groenice,  Delano,  de  Not- 
beck,  de  Steurs,  Drayton,  Emmet,  Jay,  Kane,  Keefer, 
Langdon,  Lowndes,  Phillips,  Pallandt,  Phelps,  Roose- 
velt, Rumpff,  Stevens,  Townsend,  Tyler,  Van  Alen, 
Ward,  Wilks,  Wilson,  and  Zborowski. 


254 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 
THE  ASTORHAUS. 

FROM  1820  to  1822,  and  from  1829  to  1834  Mr.  As- 
ter resided  in  Europe.  Soon  after  his  arrival 
on  the  continent,  he  made  an  extensive  tour  of 
Germany.  Here  was  the  land  of  his  birth,  and  the  home 
of  his  boyhood,  and  he  was  drawn,  perforce,  to  his  na- 
tive village  of  Waldorf. 

The  little  town  belonged  to  the  old,  old  world.  It  had 
not  changed  in  these  years  that  had  been  full  of  oppor- 
tunity and  achievement  for  one  of  its  children.  The 
way  thither  was  the  same.  There  were  the  long  plats 
of  vegetables  and  clover,  and  the  beautiful  wild  flowers 
which  John  Jacob  Astor  remembered  as  a  boy.  The 
women  were  still  hoeing  in  the  fields  beside  the  men, 
making  bright  spots  in  the  landscape  with  their  red 
skirts ;  the  carts  were  still  drawn  by  cows. 

There  were,  also,  the  same  red  tiled  roofs,  with  small 
windows  like  eyes  among  the  tile;  the  narrow  streets, 
with  the  stones  laid  from  doorstep  to  doorstep ;  the  old 
street  pumps  nine  feet  high,  unto  the  top  of  which  no 
child  could  grow,  though  he  might  one  day  reach  the 

255 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

handle;  and  the  old  cemetery,  where  his  mother  had 
been  buried  in  the  lonely  years  of  his  childhood. 

All  of  it  appeared  to  John  Jacob  Astor  as  if  he  had 
left  it  but  yesterday.  The  old  church  brought  back 
that  pivotal  Confirmation  Day,  when  he  was  fourteen, 
and  life  seemed  to  turn  backward  upon  itself,  offering 
no  hopes  for  the  future  to  the  boy  aquiver  with  the  de- 
sire to  go  forward. 

There  were  the  roads  he  trod  as  an  unwilling  as- 
sistant in  his  father's  business,  and  the  lanes  where  he 
carried  the  little  ones  of  the  family,  searching  for 
amusement  for  them,  and  quietness  for  himself. 

The  highway  leading  out  of  Waldorf  toward  the 
Black  Forest,  no  longer  looked  like  a  road  of  fate, — 
a  pathway  of  magnificent  possibilities,  with  awe-inspir- 
ing distances  between, — but  simply  a  stretch  of  coun- 
try roadway  on  which  the  sun  shone,  the  birds  sang, 
men  and  women  and  cows  worked,  and  children  called 
after  the  stranger  a  cheerful  "Guten  Morgen." 

It  was  during  the  period  of  Mr.  Astor  ?s  second  stay 
abroad,  that  the  excavations  were  made  in  the  mounds 
of  his  old  playground  on  the  Roman  road.  It  may  well 
be  imagined  that  the  revelations  of  what  lay  buried 
beneath  the  grassy  hills  found  an  interested  spectator 
in  the  old  Waldorf  boy. 

Mr.  Astor  had  already  made  financial  provision  for 


256 


The  Astorhaus 


the  surviving  relatives  in  his  old  home,  but  something 
of  all  that  this  visit  meant  to  the  German-American, 
was  later  shown  in  the  bequest  which  gave  expression 
to  the  thoughts  of  his  heart  on  his  return  to  his  native 
village. 

It  was  not  till  after  his  death  that  the  town  became 
aware  of  the  gift  of  her  son.  John  Jacob  Astor  had 
set  apart  fifty  thousand  dollars  to  build  an  institution 
for  the  benefit  of  the  poor  of  Waldorf.  A  nephew  of 
Mr.  Astor 's  and  one  of  his  executors,  appeared  in  the 
village  one  day,  prepared  to  pay  over  the  money  to 
those  who  were  to  have  the  institution  in  charge.  Be- 
fore night  every  house  in  the  little  town  was  agog  with 
the  news. 

As  the  days  passed,  it  was  found  that  there  was  to  be 
a  Board  of  Supervisors  composed  of  residents  of  Heid- 
elberg,— professors  from  the  University  and  clergy- 
men,— but  the  real  management  of  the  Home  was  to 
be  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  clergy  of  Waldorf,  the 
burgomaster,  the  physician,  a  citizen  named  every 
three  years  by  the  Town  Council,  and  the  Superin- 
tendent of  the  institution,  who  must  be  a  teacher  by 
profession. 

Considerable  time  elapsed  while  the  plans  were  being 
perfected,  and  the  accumulated  interest  on  the  fund 
eventually  went  a  long  way  toward  building  the  Home, 


257 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

i 

so  leaving  the  larger  part  of  the  bequest  to  be  per- 
manently invested  for  the  support  of  the  institution. 

They  named  it,  when  finished,  the  Astorhaus.  The 
two  main  objects  of  the  Home  were,  the  care  of  the 
poor,  who,  through  age,  disease,  or  other  causes,  were 
unable  to  work ;  and  the  education  and  moral  uplifting 
of  young  people,  who  were  without  means.  Children 
needing  the  care  of  the  Home  were  admitted  at  six 
years  old,  and  from  that  time  until  they  were  fifteen, 
were  trained  in  habits  that  would  stand  them  in  good 
stead  in  after  life.  The  trend  of  their  dispositions  and 
tastes  was  observed,  and  each  one  was  taught  a  trade  by 
which  he  could  afterward  earn  an  honest  livelihood. 
Instruction  in  agriculture,  market-gardening,  the  care 
of  vineyards  and  animals  were  also  added,  fitting  them 
for  these  occupations  if  they  showed  any  bent  in  these 
directions.  Children  of  any  and  all  religious  creeds 
were  to  be  admitted. 

The  boy  who  had  lain  awake  nights  puzzling  how  he 
should  get  his  own  start  in  the  world,  thus  smoothed 
the  way  to  a  life-work  for  many  other  boys.  Nor  were 
the  aims  of  the  Astorhaus  to  be  entirely  along  indus- 
trial lines.  The  blind  and  the  deaf  and  the  dumb  were 
to  find  succor  here,  and  a  nursery  for  very  young  chil- 
dren, who  had  been  left  destitute,  was  also  contempla- 
ted. 


258 


The  Astorhaus 


The  Astorhaus  was  finally  opened  on  January  9th, 
1854,  with  becoming  ceremonies,  and  continues  its 
beneficent  work  to  the  present  day.  In  the  chapel  of 
the  building,  there  hangs  an  excellent  portrait  of  Mr. 
Astor,  and  here  each  year  on  the  anniversary  of  his 
death,  a  commemorative  service  is  held.  The  boys  and 
girls  who  have  gone  out  from  this  institution  equipped 
for  life,  have  had  reason  to  remember  with  gratitude 
the  boy  who  had  to  forge  his  own  hard  way,  and  who 
turned  back  during  a  successful  life,  to  make  the  road 
less  difficult  for  their  young  feet. 

It  is  not  strange,  that  with  this  village  blessing  al- 
ways before  his  eyes,  the  Rev.  C.  W.  Stocker,  pastor 
emeritus  of  the  old  church,  was  moved  to  write  of  John 
Jacob  Astor: 

"Although  married  to  an  American  lady,  and  him- 
self an  American,  so  that  he  could  scarcely  speak  his 
mother  tongue  fluently  any  more,  he  nevertheless  re- 
mained German  in  his  heart,  and  it  is  said  always  had 
a  longing  for  his  mother  country. 

"  Astor  was  of  medium  height,  broad  shouldered  and 
sun-burned.  His  eye  betrayed  a  restless  activity,  and  he 
was  accustomed  to  answer  the  conversation  of  others 
with  a  melancholy  smile;  his  whole  appearance  was  of 
a  reticent,  seriously-minded  and  melancholy  man.  He 
did  a  great  deal  of  good,  saw  things  in  the  right  light 
immediately,  and  was  incredibly  quick  at  figuring;  so 
that,  in  spite  of  enormous  losses  which  he  suffered,  he 
left  a  large  estate  at  his  death. 


259 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

"Few  people  were  as  quiet,  precise  and  upright  as 
he  was,  holding  the  memory  of  his  friends  sacred. " 

The  marked  sobriety  of  which  the  Rev.  Mr.  Stocker 
speaks,  was  doubtless  magnified  at  this  time  by  physical 
suffering.  Mr.  Astor 's  intimate  friends  often  spoke 
of  his  enjoyment  of  a  good  joke,  though  he  showed  also 
an  undercurrent  of  sadness. 

After  visiting  Germany,  Mr.  Astor  spent  some  time 
in  Paris,  where  General  Armstrong,  the  father  of  Mrs 
William  B.  Astor,  had  been  American  minister.  In  his 
spare  hours  during  his  active  business  life,  he  had  ac- 
quired some  knowledge  of  French,  and  now  in  his  more 
ample  leisure,  he  set  himself  to  learn  Italian,  both 
languages  adding  greatly  to  the  pleasure  of  his  travels. 

He  spent  two  winters  in  Italy,  enjoying  the  wonders 
of  art  in  Rome  and  Naples,  interested  in  Pompeii,  and 
charmed  with  the  beauties  and  soft  air  of  Southern  Eu- 
rope. The  world  of  living  men  also  drew  his  notice,  and 
from  some  of  those  who  had  wielded  unusual  power  in 
the  world  of  statesmanship  and  diplomacy,  he  received 
marked  attention. 

He  was  presented  at  the  Court  of  Charles  the  Tenth ; 
and  also  at  that  of  Louis  Philippe ;  at  Naples  he  witness- 
ed the  accession  to  the  throne  of  young  Ferdinand  II. 
He  had  also  the  pleasure  of  meeting  Guizot  in  Paris,  and 
Metternich  in  Vienna. 


260 


The  Astorhaus 


These  years  of  foreign  residence  were  not  entirely 
spent  in  travel  or  brief  sojourns.  Mr.  Astor  purchased 
a  villa  on  the  Lake  of  Geneva  named  Genthod,  where  he 
passed  his  summers  reveling  in  the  exquisite  beauty  of 
the  lake  shores,  and  the  clear  blue  tint  of  the  water,  re- 
flecting over  again  the  grandeur  of  the  scenery,  even  to 
Mont  Blanc,  fifty  miles  away. 

His  daughter  Eliza  was  with  him  at  these  times,  and 
together  with  her  husband,  a  courtly  gentleman  of  the 
old  school,  they  spent  happy  summers  surrounded  by 
the  beauty  of  the  Swiss  Lake. 

In  Europe,  as  in  his  adopted  country,  Mr.  Astor 
drew  from  his  surroundings  a  wealth  of  vivid  impres- 
sions, which  he  enjoyed  at  the  time,  and  laid  away  for 
future  reflection.  But  the  life  of  the  new  world  had 
grown  very  dear  to  the  man  who  had  helped  to  make  it, 
and  he  gladly  returned  to  America  in  1834. 


261 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 
HOMES  AND  NEIGHBORS. 

ON  the  site  upon  which  the  Astor  House  stood  for 
many  decades,  John  Jacob  Astor  lived  in  a  large 
double  house  for  a  quarter  of  a  century.     This 
house  was  223  Broadway.     On  either  side  of  him  the 
length  of  the  block,  the  substantial  three-story  brick 
houses  were  occupied  by  men  who  were  well  known  to 
their  day  and  generation. 

Aaron  Burr  moved  from  221  Broadway  to  Richmond 
Hill,  the  same  year  John  Jacob  Astor  took  up  his  resi- 
dence in  the  block,  and  in  this  house  Michael  Paff  es- 
tablished his  celebrated  picture  gallery.  Two  hundred 
and  nineteen  Broadway  was  occupied  successively  by 
the  brothers,  Walter,  and  Colonel  John  Rutherford,  who 
belonged  to  an  eminent  family  connected  with  the  mer- 
chant interests  of  New  York.  Colonel  John  Rutherford 
built  his  house  before  the  Revolutionary  War,  and 
opened  the  street,  though  he  changed  the  size  and  ar- 
chitecture of  his  dwelling  during  the  yars  he  was  Mr. 
Astor 's  neighbor.  He  had  been  one  of  the  Colonial 
Council  and  a  member  of  the  Colonial  Assembly,  his 

262 


Homes  and  Neighbors 


family  intermarrying  with  the  Alexanders  and  Steveni 
of  Hoboken. 

The  house  adjoining  Mr.  Astor's  on  the  other  side 
had  been  the  residence  of  General  Moreau  when  he  first 
came  to  New  York,  but  for  years  Alexander  S.  Stuart, 
a  famous  merchant  of  that  day,  was  Mr.  Astor's  neigh- 
bor, to  be  succeeded  by  Cornelius  Roosevelt,  and  later 
by  David  Lydig,  one  of  the  daring  old  race  of  mer- 
chants who  built  up  New  York. 

The  father  of  the  last  occupant  of  the  house,  Philip 
Lydig,  had  been  a  native  of  Germany  of  good  family, 
and  upon  coming  to  America  engaged  in  the  wholesale 
flour  business,  with  large  mills  near  West  Point,  and 
commodious  buildings  for  carrying  on  his  extensive  op- 
erations in  New  York. 

David  Lydig  followed  his  father  in  the  business,  own- 
ing a  house  in  New  York,  and  a  country-seat  near  West 
Farms,  Westchester  County.  Country-seats  were  consid- 
ered a  necessary  part  of  an  establishment  in  those  days, 
and  in  many  cases  became  valuable  property  for  future 
generations. 

The  Lydig  sloops  sailed  between  the  mills  and  the 
city  home,  and  were  often  taken  from  the  business  route 
to  give  the  friends  of  the  family  the  pleasure  of  ex- 
cursions through  the  Highlands,  the  trip  sometimes  ex- 
tending as  far  as  Albany. 


263 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

The  enjoyment  of  these  leisurely  sloop  journeys,  with 
their  parties  of  chosen  friends,  is  to  be  found  in  many 
a  diary  and  letter  of  the  period.  The  sense  of  personal 
hospitality  from  the  owner  of  the  sloop,  the  genial  cam- 
araderie of  the  Captain  and  officers,  the  exchange  of 
wit  and  humor  and  the  matching  of  stories  between 
guests,  filled  these  trips  with  a  pecuilar  type  of  enjoy- 
ment. 

The  exquisite  scenery  of  the  Hudson,  unspoiled  by 
modern  schemes,  awoke  enthusiasm  along  its  many 
miles,  as  the  voyagers  sailed  near  its  wooded  banks,  or 
watched  the  wild  birds  in  their  flight ;  lay  idle  in  some 
shaded  cove  during  the  heated  hours,  or  swung  forward 
with  the  wind  in  every  sail,  a  dancing  boat  on  the  blue 
waters. 

Night  often  found  them  sheltered  under  some  guard- 
ing bank,  a  thousand  candles  overhead ;  or  storm-bound, 
they  dropped  anchor  in  some  safe  retreat,  while  they 
watched  the  waters  whipped  into  yeasty  foam  and  curl- 
ing white-caps  in  the  broad  spaces  beyond. 

One  of  the  greatest  charms  of  these  sloop  journeys 
was  the  visits  made  upon  friends  all  along  the  river 
front.  Welcomes  were  warm  from  the  families  of  these 
scattered  estates,  who  claimed  each  other  as  neighbors, 
though  miles  intervened.  Stables  full  of  road-horses, 
the  stages  on  the  post-road,  and  the  private  ownership 

264 


Homes  and  Neighbors 


of  sloops  on  the  river,  over-rode  distance  for  these  leis- 
urely folk,  as  successfully  as  steam  cars  and  trolleys 
and  automobiles  do  to-day. 

David  Lydig  was  both  President  and  Treasurer  of 
the  German  Society,  to  which  John  Jacob  Astor  be- 
longed, as  Baron  Steuben  had  been  before  him.  He 
served  in  various  capacities  in  nearly  every  prominent 
bank  and  insurance  company,  for  half  a  century. 

Just  beyond  the  Lydig  home,  on  the  corner  of  Bar- 
clay Street,  there  resided  during  the  early  years  of  the 
Astor  family's  residence  here,  Richard  Harrison,  a 
noted  lawyer,  and  also  Attorney  General.  When  he 
died  in  1809,  John  G.  Coster,  a  retired  merchant, 
bought  the  house  and  lived  side  by  side  with  Mr.  Astor 
for  twenty  years.  When  the  great  financier  decided  to 
fulfill  the  resolve  of  his  young  manhood,  and  build  a 
more  elegant  mansion  than  that  which,  at  an  earlier 
period,  had  excited  such  marked  comment  and  admira- 
tion, he  seems  to  have  had  but  little  difficulty  in  acquir- 
ing i he  houses  on  this  important  block  of  Broadway, 
upon  which  he  himself  lived. 

But  when  he  reached  the  house  on  the  corner,  which 
had  been  the  home  of  John  G.  Coster  for  nearly  as  many 
years  as  he  himself  had  lived  in  the  block,  he  found  an 
obstacle  that  even  his  determination  could  not  surmount. 
This  was  the  last  building  lot  required  by  Mr.  Astor  upon 


265 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

which  to  build  his  magnificent  hotel,  but  Mr.  Coster 
could  not  be  prevailed  upon  to  part  with  it  at  any 
price.  Money  was  no  object  with  him,  for  he  was  one  of 
the  five  wealthiest  men  in  New  York.  Mr.  Astor  made 
one  offer  after  another,  only  to  have  each  in  turn  de- 
clined, the  old  gentleman  positively  declaring  he  meant 
to  spend  his  remaining  days  in  his  old  home.  In  all  his 
previous  purchases,  Mr.  Astor  had  kept  his  object  a 
secret,  but  Mr.  Coster's  persistent  refusal  to  sell  forced 
him  to  reveal  his  purpose. 

"Mr.  Coster, "  said  he,  one  day,  "I  want  to  build  a 
hotel.  I  have  all  the  other  lots,  and  I  need  the  ground  on 
which  your  house  stands.  With  the  money  I  will  pay 
you,  you  can  go  up  Broadway  beyond  Canal  Street,  and 
build  a  palace.  Now  name  your  price. ' ' 

Mr.  Coster  then  gave  the  real  obstacle  to  the  sale. 
"The  fact  is,"  he  replied,  "I  can't  sell  unless  Mrs. 
Coster  consents.  If  she  is  willing,  I  will  sell  for  sixty 
thousand  dollars.  You  can  call  to-morrow  morning  and 
ask  her." 

When  morning  came  Mr.  Astor  made  the  proposed 
visit  on  Mrs.  Coster,  and  put  his  question,  as  prear- 
ranged. 

"Well,  Mr.  Astor,"  replied  the  old  lady,  as  if  con- 
ferring a  great  favor  for  no  adequate  return,  "we  arc 


266 


Homes  and  Neighbors 


such  old  friends  that  I  am  willing  to  part  with  my  home 
for  your  sake." 

So  Mr.  Astor  at  length  accomplished  the  purchase  of 
the  last  house  and  lot  on  the  block,  and  Mr.  Coster 
took  his  old  friend  and  neighbor's  advice,  and  built  a 
spacious  mansion  of  granite  a  mile  up  Broadway,  where 
he  lived  the  remainder  of  his  days. 

Mr.  Astor  used  to  tell  the  story  of  the  whole  transac- 
tion with  great  amusement,  particularly  that  part  in 
which  the  old  lady  consented  to  sell  him  her  house  at 
twice  its  value,  under  the  head  of  a  personal  favor. 
The  negotiations,  which  ended  in  the  purchase  of  this 
pivotal  house  on  the  block,  extended  over  two  years. 

When  the  financier's  own  dwelling  was  torn  down, 
he  moved  to  a  broad  two-story  brick  house  opposite 
Niblo's,  and  near  his  office  in  Prince  Street.  Upon  the 
front  door  of  this  new  abode  was  a  large  silver  plate, 
with  the  simple  inscription,  "Mr.  Astor."  By  this  time 
the  name  was  so  well  known  that  it  required  no  ex- 
planatory given-name  to  distinguish  the  owner. 

Philip  Hone  writes  in  his  "Diary,"  under  date  of 
April  4th,  1834:  "John  Jacob  Astor  has  just  returned 
from  Europe.  He  comes  in  time  to  witness  the  pulling 
down  of  the  block  of  houses  next  to  that  on  which  I 
live,  where  he  is  going  to  erect  a  palais  royal,  which 
will  cost  him  five  or  six  hundred  thousand  dollars." 


267 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

This  racy  writer  thought  that  the  Astor  House  would 
"  remain  a  monument  to  the  great  financier  for  cen- 
turies to  come." 

"The  corner  stone, "  according  to  "The  Constella- 
tion "  of  July  19th,  1834,  "of  this  fine  building  was 
laid  on  the  4th  instant,  at  6  o'clock  A.  M.,  in  the  pres- 
ence of  about  a  hundred  spectators.  A  box  was  de- 
posited beneath  the  stone  with  a  silver  tablet  in  it,  con- 
taining the  following  inscription : 

'CORNER  STONE  OP  THE  PARK  HOTEL 

Laid  the  4th  of  July,  1834, 
The  Hotel  is  to  be  erected  by  JOHN  JACOB  ASTOR. 

BUILDERS: 
Philetus     H.     Woodruff,     Peter     Storms,     Campbell 

&  Adams. 

SUPERINTENDENTS : 
Isaiah  Rogers  and  William  W.  Burwick. 
ARCHITECT: 
Isaiah  Rogers/ 

"The  daily  papers  of  the  preceding  day — the  last 
number  of  the  "Mechanics*  Magazine, "  containing  a 
full  portrait  of  Lafayette — and  Goodrich 's  pic- 
ture of  New  York — were  also  deposited  in  the  box." 

The  dimensions  of  the  building-to-be,  follow,  and  iti 
gtyle  of  architecture. 

268 


Ill 

8    £1 


Homes  and  Neighbors 


When  the  Astor  House  was  finished,  it  was  a  solid 
and  imposing  structure,  the  admiration  of  both  Euro- 
peans and  Americans.  A  short  time  after  its  completion 
Mr.  Astor  and  his  son,  William  B.,  stood  in  City  Hall 
Park  admiring  its  magnificence. 

"Well,  William,  what  do  you  think  of  itt"  asked 
the  happy  owner  of  an  accomplished  dream. 

His  son  expressed  his  warm  appreciation  and  admira- 
tion of  this  last  achievement  of  his  father's. 

"William,  it  is  yours/'  returned  the  father,  to  the 
untold  surprise  of  his  son.  A  few  days  later  the  prop- 
erty was  turned  over  to  William  Backhouse  Astor,  for 
"one  Spanish  milled  dollar,  and  love  and  affection." 
There  was  never  any  doubt  of  John  Jacob  Astor 's  love 
and  affection  where  his  children  were  concerned.  The 
Astor  House  proved  to  be  thoroughly  successful,  and  a 
gift  for  which  William  B.  had  ample  reason  to  be 
grateful. 

The  hotel  remained  a  monument  to  its  builder  for 
the  larger  part  of  a  century,  but  it  was  the  life  that 
passed  in  and  out  of  its  doors,  both  while  it  bore  the 
name  of  the  Park  Hotel,  and  later  of  the  Astor  House, 
that  gave  it  its  greatest  glory. 

Clay  and  Webster  and  Abraham  Lincoln  were  among 
the  names  on  its  registers,  oft  repeated.  The  men,  whose 
heart 's  blood  went  to  the  making  and  saving  of  a  nation, 

269 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

trod  its  corridors.  Those  the  new  world  fain  would 
honor  were  feted  at  its  hospitable  board. 

Dinners  were  given  to  Jennie  Lind  and  in  honor  of 
Burns;  to  Captain  Sands  and  the  officers  of  the  frigate 
St.  Lawrence,  by  the  Common  Council  of  New  York, 
to  Governor  Louis  Kossuth,  by  the  Press;  and  to  many 
another  man  and  woman  famous  in  the  first  half  and 
middle  of  the  century.  Even  to  its  very  last  days  of 
existence  as  a  hotel,  the  Astor  House  gathered  its  devo- 
tees,— the  bridge  engineers  at  a  farewell  luncheon,  at 
the  one  table  where  they  had  lunched  for  twenty-five 
years;  and  the  Municipal  Club  of  Brooklyn,  at  a  fare- 
well dinner;  while  men  and  women  gathered  from 
many  cities  to  spend  the  last  night  in  the  old  Astor 
House,  rich  in  historic  memories  intertwined  with  the 
nation's  growth. 

One  of  Mr.  Astor 's  early  purchases  was  a  thirteen  - 
acre  farm,  overlooking  Hell  Gate.  Here  he  built  a  hand- 
some country  residence,  near  88th  Street  and  Second 
Avenue.  Perhaps  he  remembered,  pleasantly,  the  Todd 
House  on  Pearl  Street,  where  he  won  his  bride.  The 
land  here  had  also  extended  to  the  water's  edge,  with 
an  old-fashioned  garden  upon  its  banks,  and  the  Bast 
River  always  in  sight. 

Washington  Irving  wrote  of  the  Hell  Gate  home: — 
'  *  Mr.  Astor  has  a  spacious,  well-built  house,  with  a  lawn 

270 


Be 


Homes  and  Neighbors 


in  front  of  it,  and  a  garden  in  the  rear.  The  lawn 
sweeps  to  the  water's  edge,  and  full  in  front  of  the 
house  is  the  little  strait  of  Hell  Gate,  which  forms  a 
constantly  moving  picture." 


271 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

LITERARY  FRIENDS  AND  BUSINESS 
COMPANIONS. 

THOMAS  Jefferson  believed  the  United  States 
was  to  be  a  great  and  populous  country ;  Henry 
Clay  was  enthusiastically  in  favor  of  internal 
improvements  by  the  National  Government.  With  both 
of  these  men,  and  others  of  like  view,  John  Jacob  Astor 
was  in  entire  sympathy.  Probably  no  man  ever  had  more 
unbounded  faith  in  the  future  of  the  American  conti- 
nent than  the  great  financier.  Ultimately,  he  believed, 
thai  the  country  would  develop  over  a  vast  range  of 
wealth  and  power.  Jefferson  and  Clay  wrought  politi- 
cally for  the  well-being  and  advancement  of  the  na- 
tion; John  Jacob  Astor  led  the  nation  along  the  road 
of  continental  development. 

Mr.  Astor  never  took  any  active  part  in  politics,  but 
he  was  for  many  years  a  supporter  of  the  old  Whig 
party,  and  held  its  magnetic  leader,  Henry  Clay,  in 
warm  regard  both  from  a  personal  and  political  stand- 
point. He  never  was  happier  than  when  the  celebra- 
ted orator  was  his  guest. 

272 


Friends  and  Companions 


"The  Mill  Boy  of  the  Slashes,"  who,  in  working  for 
the  support  of  his  family,  often  rode  a  pony  to  Dari- 
cott's  mill,  with  a  rope  for  a  bridle,  and  a  bag  of  wheat 
or  corn-flour  for  a  saddle,  appealed  to  the  man  whose 
boyhood  had  been  similar. 

They  had  both  been  in  favor  of  the  War  of  1812, 
and  aided  and  upheld  it  by  their  diverse  talents.  They 
believed  this  war  had  "transformed  the  American  Re- 
public from  a  feeble  experiment  into  a  real  power,  full 
of  brains, — and  menace,  if  need  be." 

The  story  is  told  that  when  Henry  Clay  ran  for 
President  the  third  time,  the  committee  called  on  Mr. 
Astor  for  a  contribution  to  the  campaign  fund.  He  is 
said  to  have  responded  to  their  request : 

"I  am  not  interested  in  these  things  now.  Those 
gentlemen  who  are  in  business,  and  whose  property  de- 
pends on  the  issues  of  the  election,  ought  to  give.  I  am 
an  old  man.  I  haven't  anything  to  do  with  commerce, 
and  it  makes  no  difference  to  me  what  the  Government 
does.  I  don't  make  money  any  more." 

"Why,  Mr.  Astor,"  one  of  the  committee  replied, 
"you  are  like  Alexander,  when  he  wept  because  there 
were  no  more  worlds  to  conquer.  You  have  made  all 
the  money,  and  now  there  is  no  more  money  to  make." 

The  old  man's  eyes  twinkled  at  the  keen  repartee,  and 
with  a  chuckle  of  amusement,  he  said: 


273 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

"Very  good,  that's  very  good.  Well,  I'll  give  you 
something."  He  thereupon  drew  a  check  for  fifteen 
hundred  dollars,  which,  though  it  did  not  elect  his  old 
friend  to  the  Presidency,  still  stood  for  a  sign  of  the 
friendship  between  them. 

Although  Mr.  Astor  had  a  reputation  for  making  close 
bargains  in  business  transactions,  his  confidence  in  the 
United  States  and  its  future,  often  led  him  into  financial 
acts  which  surprised  his  fellowmen.  When  the  found- 
ers of  the  National  Bank  of  New  York  were  procuring 
subscribers  to  its  stock,  and  still  needed  a  large  sum, 
Mr.  Astor  offered  to  complete  the  amount,  provided 
they  allowed  him  to  choose  the  President.  The  commis- 
sioners willingly  acceded  to  his  request,  and  he  present- 
ed the  name  of  Albert  Gallatin,  who  continued  as  Presi- 
dent of  the  Bank  for  many  years,  Mr.  Astor  becoming 
one  of  its  largest  depositors. 

"When  the  New  York  Life  Insurance  Company  was 
robbed  of  its  entire  surplus  of  two  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  dollars,  in  1834,  Mr.  Astor  made  a  gratuitous 
loan  sufficient  to  enable  it  to  continue  business." 

Another  story  is  told  of  a  financial  transaction  with 
Gerrit  Smith,  the  son  of  John  Jacob  Astor 's  early  part- 
ner. During  the  panic  of  1837,  Mr.  Smith  was  in  need  of 
ready  money,  and  procured  a  loan  from  Mr.  Astor  of 
two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars,  giving  as  se- 


274 


Friends  and  Companions 


curity  a  mortgage  OD  a  certain  piece  of  property.  Mr. 
Astor 's  check  was  received,  but  through  the  careless- 
ness of  the  county  clerk,  the  papers  were  not  sent  to 
him.  After  several  weeks  a  letter  arrived  from  the 
financier,  enquiring  into  the  matter.  An  examination 
was  made,  the  fault  located,  and  the  transaction  satis- 
factorily concluded,  but  it  remained  a  matter  of  inter- 
est to  many  that  Mr.  Astor  had  loaned  a  quarter  of  a 
million  dollars,  simply  on  Gerrit  Smith's  bare  word. 

As  the  great  financier's  more  active  years  passed  l»y. 
he  found  hearty  enjoyment  in  a  group  of  scholarly 
friends.  He  seems  a  strange  figure  in  this  inner  circle 
of  literary  life.  His  fund  of  anecdotes,  his  stories  of  ad 
ventures  in  the  wilds,  and  ventures  in  the  world  of 
finance,  gave  a  vivid  charm  to  his  conversation.  To  the 
alert  and  imaginative  minds  of  his  friends,  they  were 
like  discoveries  in  a  new  world  to  the  explorer. 

But  to  John  Jacob  Astor.  the  man  of  action  and  <lar- 
ing,  the  man  who  followed  his  visions  personally  into 
the  virgin  forests,  or  with  ships  and  men  and  money 
over  seas, — what  did  he  find  in  these  men  of  letters? 

Fitz  Greene  Halleck,  Washington  Irving,  Joseph 
Green  Cogswell,  and  others  who  gathered  at  his  fire- 
side, were  all  travelers.  Mr.  Halleck  had  visited  France, 
Switzerland,  Germany,  and  the  British  Isles  during  the 
same  years  that  Mr.  Astor  had  spent  abroad.  Dr. 

275 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

Cogswell  added  to  his  knowledge  of  European  coun- 
tries and  people,  a  trip  to  India  made  just  after  his 
graduation  from  Harvard.  Here  were  interests  in  com- 
mon, but  there  seems  to  have  been  a  still  closer  tie 
than  that  formed  from  kindred  topics  of  conversation. 

Perhaps,  as  Mr.  Astor 's  own  active  life  ceased,  he 
asked  for  himself  the  eyes  of  others,  whose  visions  of 
great  things  were  still  clear  and  far-reaching,  albeit 
they  led  into  the  realm  of  the  intellectual  and  imagina- 
tive, rather  than  the  world  of  actual  adventure  or  busi- 
ness. Here  there  were  still  worlds  to  conquer,  and  the 
little  coterie  of  friends  spent  happy  days  in  one  an- 
other's company. 

Halleck,  the  poet,  was  one  of  the  most  charming  con- 
versationalists of  his  day,  a  man  full  of  humor,  anec- 
dote and  fancy;  handsome,  graceful  and  cultured.  He 
spent  seventeen  years  as  a  clerk  in  the  Astor  office.  The 
old  gentleman  became  very  fond  of  him,  and  after  a 
time  invited  him  to  reside  with  him,  and  take  charge 
of  his  affairs.  They  passed  months  together  at  Mr. 
Astor 's  country  seat,  to  the  pleasure  and  satisfaction 
of  both  men. 

The  author  of  "Burns"  and  "Marco  Bozzaris"  was 
beloved  in  England,  Scotland  and  America.  His  poetry 
won  the  hearts  of  men,  and  caused  them  to  erect  monu- 
ments and  statues  to  him  after  his  death,  at  which 


276 


Friends  and  Companions 


time  the  literary  world,  the  President  and  his  Cabinet, 
and  a  host  of  plain  people,  all  did  him  honor;  but  dur- 
ing his  life-time  it  was  the  common,  daily  task  of  a 
book-keeper  in  Mr.  Astor's  counting  room,  which  gave 
him  his  livelihood. 

Halleck  used  to  rally  Mr.  Astor  upon  his  wealth,  as- 
suring him  if  he,  himself,  had  two  hundred  dollars  a 
year  and  was  sure  of  it,  he  would  be  content.  To  the 
amusement,  and  somewhat  to  the  surprise  of  Halleck 's 
friends,  the  old  man  took  the  joker  at  his  word,  and 
left  him  in  his  will,  an  annuity  of  two  hundred  dol- 
lars. William  B.  Astor,  however,  augmented  his  fath- 
er's bequest  to  Mr.  Halleck  by  an  additional  gift  of  ten 
thousand  dollars. 

Mr.  Astor's  intimacy  with  Washington  Irving  dated 
back  to  their  early  years.  Irving 's  warm,  genial  nature 
appealed  to  the  softer  side  of  the  character  of  the  great 
financier.  He  loved  to  have  the  whimsical  story-teller 
and  the  able  historian  in  his  home  and  at  his  table; 
and  visited  the  author,  in  turn,  in  his  home  in  Tarry  - 
town-on-the-Hudson.  As  long  as  such  activity  was  pos- 
sible, Mr.  Astor  delighted  in  excursions  over  his  old 
hunting  grounds  on  the  Hudson  River,  and  reveled  in 
the  magnificent  scenery  of  the  Catskills  and  the  Alle- 
ghanies. 

In  his  days  of  leisure,  Mr.  Astor  had  gathered  about 


277 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

him  a  library  of  choice  volumes,  his  preference  tending 
to  biographical  and  historical  subjects.  During  the  long 
winter  evenings,  he  delighted  in  tracing  through  the 
pages  of  some  book  the  life  of  a  man  of  action  or  daring, 
or  following  with  deep  interest  the  growth  and  progress 
of  the  nations. 

In  these  years  the  great  Bininger  groceries  on  Maiden 
Lane  had  proved  the  worth  of  Katie  Bininger 's  dreams, 
as  the  Astor  ships  and  furs  and  real  estate,  had 
shown  the  determination  of  John  Jacob  Astor  to  suc- 
ceed. Philip  Hone,  an  old  friend  and  companion  in 
some  past  financial  ventures,  was  at  times  a  guest  at 
Mr.  Astor 's  table.  Mr.  Hone  was  thoroughly  ac- 
quainted with  the  capitalist,  and  is  one  of  the  men  who 
paid  tribute  to  the  uniform  fairness  and  justice  of  Mr. 
Astor 's  business  dealings. 

Joseph  Green  Cogswell,  the  learned  editor  of  the 
"New  York  Review,"  came  intimately  into  Mr.  Astor 's 
life  at  a  later  period  than  his  other  friends.  Dr.  Cogs- 
well visited  New  York  during  the  winter  of  1838,  and 
wrote  from  there:  "During  my  present  visit  to  New 
York,  I  have  seen  a  good  deal  of  old  Mr.  Astor,  having 
dined  with  him  twice  at  his  own  house,  and  three  times 
at  his  son's.  He  is  not  the  mere  accumulator  of  dol- 
lars, as  I  had  supposed  him ;  he  talks  well  on  many  sub- 
jects, and  shows  a  great  deal  of  interest  in  arts  and  lit- 


278 


Friends  and  Companions 


mil  u  iv.     I   met   Halleck  there  often,  and  some  other 
pleasant  visitors." 

Mr.  Astor  became  so  fond  of  the  presence  of  this 
learned  and  companionable  man,  that  he  asked  him 
more  than  once  to  make  his  home  with  him.  Part  of  »li«- 
charm  of  Dr.  Cogswell's  society  lay  in  his  ability  to 
converse  with  Mr.  Astor  in  German,  thus  adding  to  the 
pleasure  of  other  congenial  topics,  that  of  harking  back 
to  Mr.  Astor 's  native  land  and  childhood's  home. 

Mr.  Astor  drew  about  him,  besides  these  intimate 
friends,  James  G.  King,  Henry  Brevoort,  Samuel 
Ward,  Samuel  B.  Ruggles,  Daniel  Lord  and  others 
among  the  eminent  and  scholarly  men  of  the  day. 

This  man  of  wealth  was  of  the  opinion,  shared  by 
other  foreigners  who  have  been  eminently  successful  in 
this  land  of  opportunity,  that  there  was  no  cause  for 
poverty  in  a  country  which  offered  the  poorest  a  chance 
to  earn  an  honest  livelihood,  and  even  to  attain  a  com- 
petency. 

In  spite  of  these  views,  the  great  financier  gave 
money  to  charitable  objects,  but  for  the  most  part  his 
benevolence  took  a  practical  turn.  One  reads  of  fathers 
who  sought  employment  for  their  sons  with  Mr.  Astor, 
which,  in  many  instances,  proved  to  be  the  road  to 
prosperity  for  captains,  clerks,  and  supercargoes. 
George  Merle,  of  one  of  the  old  shipping  firms,  and 


279 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

George  and  William  Wallace  Bruce,  were  among  Mr. 
Astor 's  clerks. 

Moses  Taylor  was  the  son  of  Mr.  Astor 's  rent  collect- 
or, and  went  to  sea  when  very  young.  After  serving 
his  time,  he  started  a  small  shipping  business  of  his 
own.  It  is  said  that  his  father's  employer  always 
"backed  up"  young  Taylor  when  he  needed  aid.  In 
after  years,  Taylor  became  President  of  the  City  Bank, 
and  a  millionaire  on  his  own  account.  John  D.  Wendel 
was  a  clerk  for  his  uncle  in  early  life,  and  William  W. 
Todd  was  connected,  for  a  number  of  years  in  his 
young  manhood,  with  the  Astor  fur  business. 

Numerous  other  clerks  remained  many  years  in  Mr. 
Astor 's  employ,  finding  their  positions  still  held  for 
them  in  old  age,  grey  hairs  proving  no  impediment  to 
earning  a  livelihood  in  Mr.  Astor 's  service. 


280 


CHAPTER  XXX. 
WRITING  "ASTORIA." 

THE  long,  quiet  days  spent  in  his  country  home  on 
the  East  River,  gave  John  Jacob  Astor  leisure 
for  fresh  plans,  but  with  advancing  years  and 
health  impaired,  these  schemes  lacked  the  personal  ini- 
tiative of  an  earlier  period.     Mr.  Astor  acted  through 
others  in  these  days. 

The  following  letter,  written  by  Washington  Irving 
to  his  nephew,  Pierre  Munroe  Irving,  explains  much 
that  follows  in  connection  with  the  writing  of  "As- 
toria": 

"My  Dear  Pierre: 

"John  Jacob  Astor  is  extremely  desirous  of  having 
a  work  written  on  the  subject  of  his  settlement  of 
Astoria,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  River;  some- 
thing that  might  take  with  the  reading  world,  and  se- 
cure to  him  the  reputation  of  having  originated  the 
enterprise  and  founded  the  colony,  that  are  likely  to 
have  such  important  results  in  the  history  of  commerce 
and  colonization. 

"The  old  gentleman  has  applied  to  me  repeatedly  in 
the  matter,  offering  to  furnish  abundance  of  materials 
in  letters,  journals  and  verbal  narratives,  and  to  pay 

281 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 


liberally  for  time  and  trouble.  I  have  felt  aware  that 
a  work  might  be  written  on  the  subject,  full  of  curious 
and  entertaining  matter,  comprising  adventurous  expe- 
ditions by  sea  and  land,  scenes  beyond  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains, incidents  and  scenes  illustrative  of  Indian  charac- 
ter, and  of  that  singular  and  but  little  known  class, 
the  traders  and  voyageurs  of  the  Fur  Companies.  Still 
I  am  so  much  engrossed  with  other  plans  that  I  have  no 
time  for  the  examination  of  papers,  the  digesting  of 
various  materials,  etc.,  and  have  stood  aloof  from  the 
undertaking,  though  still  keeping  the  matter  open. 

"  Since  I  have  heard  of  your  inclination  to  return  to 
New  York,  however,  it  has  occurred  to  me  that  you 
might  be  disposed  to  take  this  subject  in  hand;  to  col- 
late the  various  documents,  collect  verbal  information, 
and  reduce  the  whole  to  such  form  that  I  might  be  able 
to  dress  it  up  advantageously,  and  with  little  labor,  for" 
the  press. 

"In  an  interview  which  1  had  with  Mr  Astor,  a  day 
or  two  since,  in  which  he  laid  before  me  a  variety  of 
documents,  I  accordingly  stated  to  him  my  inability  at 
present  to  give  the  subject  the  labor  that  would  be 
requisite,  but  the  possibility  that  you  might  aid  me  in 
the  way  I  have  mentioned ;  in  which  case  I  should  have 
no  objection  to  putting  the  finishing  hand  to  the  work. 
The  old  gentleman  caught  at  the  idea,  and  begged  me 
to  write  to  you  immediately.  Ho  said  he  would  be  will- 
ing to  pay  you  whatever  might  be  deemed  proper  for 
your  services,  and  that,  if  any  profit  resulted  from  the 
sale  of  the  work,  it  would  belong,  of  course,  to  the 
authors. 

"I  lay  this  matter  before  you,  to  be  considered  in  con 
trast  or  in  connection  with  your  other  plans.     If  you 
take  it  in  hand,  it  will  furnish  you  with  employment 
for  at  least  a  year,  and  I  shall  take  care  to  secure  your 
being  well  paid  for  your  current  time  and  labor;  the 

282 


Writing  Astoria 


ultimate  profits  of  the  work  may  be  a  matter  of  after- 
arrangement  between  us. 

"Mr  Astor  is  a  strong-minded  man,  and  one  from 
who.se  eon  \vrsatioii  much  curious  information  is  to  be 
derived.  He  feels  the  want  of  occupation  and  amuse- 
ment, and  thinks  he  may  find  something  of  both  in  the 
progress  of  the  work.  You  would  find  him  very  kindly 
disposed,  for  he  was  an  early  friend  of  your  father,  for 
whose  memory  he  entertains  «rreat  regard;  and  he  has 
always  been  on  terms  of  intimacy  with  your  uncle 
Peter  and  myself,  besides  knowing  more  or  less  of 
others  of  our  family.  Halleck,  the  poet,  resides  a  great 
deal  with  him  at  present,  having  a  handsome  salary  for 
conducting  his  affairs. 

"When  you  have  thought  over  this  matter,  and  made 
up  your  mind,  let  me  hear  from  you.  If  you  determine 
in  favor  of  it,  the  sooner  you  come  on  the  better." 

It  is  perhaps  the  only  contradiction  in  an  eminently 
masterful  and  materially  successful  life,  that  Mr.  Astor 
should  have  been  so  eager  to  give  to  the  world  the  his- 
tory of  the  venture  that  failed.  Washington  Irving  says 
of  him,  that  in  this  enterprise  Mr.  Astor  had  turned 
from  the  desire  for  personal  aggrandi/ement,  and  was 
aiming  at  a  great  national  benefit,  and  that  also,  in  his 
heart  was  a  desire  for  fame.  If  into  this  great  scheme 
he  had  put  the  grandest  ideals  of  his  life,  he  might  rea- 
sonably have  hoped  and  expected  that  out  of  the  ashes  of 
seeming  failure,  phoenix-like,  would  rise  a  winged  suc- 
cess, of  which  he  himself  had  planted  the  foundation. 

It  was  the  story  of  this  continent-wide,  ocean-circled, 
golden-streaked  foundation  that  he  wished  the  friend  of 

283 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

his  youth  to  tell,  in  the  glowing  language  of  a  pen  that 
never  wrote  in  somber  hues,  but  in  all  the  rainbow  col- 
ors of  a  boundlessly  sympathetic  imagination. 

Pierre  Irving  consented  to  undertake  the  task  of  col- 
lecting and  arranging  material,  provided  he  could  be 
assured  of  two  thousand  dollars  in  payment  for  his  co- 
operation. He  declined  any  remuneration  from  the 
sale  of  the  book  itself. 

The  work  alloted  to  the  nephew  by  his  uncle,  was 
broad  in  extent,  and  accurate  in  detail.  Mr.  Astor  sup- 
plied, as  he  had  promised,  papers,  letters  and  jour- 
nals, written  by  those  who  had  been  employed  in  the 
enterprise,  including  accounts  of  journeys  across  the 
Rockies  by  routes  before  untraveled.  There  were  vari- 
ous works  in  French  and  English,  whose  study  would 
throw  light  on  the  region  beyond  the  Rocky  Mountains, 
particularly  on  the  Columbia  River;  descriptions  of 
animals  and  plants  and  scenery;  adventures  by  sea, 
and  tales  of  traders,  trappers  and  hunters;  of  Indian 
warriors,  their  characters,  personal  traits  and  cos- 
tumes. Mr.  Astor  himself,  as  well  as  the  Northwest 
traders  who  occasionally  visited  him,  offered  a  rare 
fund  of  anecdotes  and  descriptions. 

An  experience  of  Washington  Irving 's  youth  had 
given  him  some  insight  into  the  type  of  life  he  was  to 
portray.  At  twenty,  Irving  was  a  student  in  the  law 

284 


Writing  Astoria 


office  of  Joeiah  Ogden  Hoffman.  Mr.  Hoffman  and 
Mr.  Ludlow  Ogden  owned  some  wild  lands  on  the  Os- 
wegatchie,  and  proposed  to  lay  out  a  town  on  its  shores, 
rig  was  invited  to  join  a  party  of  seven  who  were 
making  an  expedition  to  Ogdensburg,  Montreal  and 
Quebec.  With  this  purpose  in  view,  they  took  a  sloop 
to  Albany,  traveling  afterward  by  wagons  over  bad 
roads,  through  thick  woods,  or  by  fields  where  burnt 
stumps  of  trees  alternated  with  the  fallen  giants  of  the 
forests.  They  often  alighted  and  walked  in  preference 
to  jolting  in  the  wagon. 

At  Black  River  they  embarked  in  a  scow,  and  found 
in  this  mode  of  travel  fresh  diversions  as  well  as  dis- 
comforts. Irving  gives  a  humorous  account  of  coming 
upon  two  canoes  one  day,  in  full  pursuit  of  a  deer,  that 
was  swimming  in  the  water,  and  joining  in  the  hunt : 

"The  deer  made  for  our  shore/1  wrote  Irving.  "We 
pushed  ashore  immediately,  and  as  it  passed,  Mr.  Ogden 
fired  and  wounded  it.  It  had  been  wounded  before.  I 
threw  off  my  coat  and  prepared  to  swim  after  it.  As 
it  came  near,  a  man  rushed  through  the  bushes,  sprang 
into  the  water,  and  made  a  grasp  at  the  animal.  He 
missed  his  aim,  and  I,  jumping  after,  fell  on  his  back 
and  sunk  him  under  water.  At  the  same  time  I  can 
the  deer  by  one  ear,  and  Mr.  Ogden  seized  it  by  a  leg. 
The  submerged  gentleman,  who  had  risen  above  the 
water,  got  hold  of  another  leg.  We  drew  it  ashore,  when 
the  man  immediately  despatched  it  with  a  knife.  We 
claimed  a  haunch  for  our  share,  permitting  him  to  keep 
all  the  rest" 

285 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

The  party  still  had  a  sixty-mile  journey  before 
reaching  Ogdensburg,  which  they  made  in  wagons. 
They  met  with  heavy  rains,  impossible  roads,  dirty 
huts  and  collapsing  tents  in  the  midst  of  downpours. 
Sometimes  there  were  almost  hurricanes,  in  which  trees 
swayed  and  fell,  and  exhausted  horses  caused  them  to 
tramp  in  mud  knee  deep.  Once  they  were  twenty-four 
hours  without  food. 

On  the  banks  of  the  St.  Lawrence  they  were  quar- 
tered in  some  rude  buildings,  belonging  to  a  ruined 
French  fort.  Here  the  party  spent  happy  days  rambling 
in  the  woods,  fishing  about  the  rapids,  paddling  in  In- 
dian canoes  on  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  visiting  Indians 
who  still  lived  on  islands  in  the  river.  "Everything," 
writes  Irving,  "was  so  grand,  and  so  silent,  and  so 
solitary.  I  don't  think  any  scene  in  life  ever  made 
a  more  delightful  impression  upon  me." 

At  last  the  party  reached  Montreal,  the  great  head 
of  the  fur  trade,  and  were  feted  in  a  very  grand  man- 
ner by  some  of  the  partners  of  the  Northwest  Fur  Com- 
pany. "At  their  hospitable  board,"  says  Irving,  "I 
occasionally  met  partners  and  clerks  and  hardy  fur 
traders  from  the  interior  posts;  men  who  had  passed 
years  remote  from  civilized  society,  among  distant  and 
savage  tribes,  who  had  wonders  to  recount  of  their 
wide  and  wild  peregrinations,  their  hunting  exploits, 


286 


Writing  Astoria 


and  their  perilous  adventures  and  hair-breadth  escapes 
among  the  Indians.  I  was  at  an  age  when  the  imagina- 
tion lends  its  coloring  to  everything,  and  the  stories  of 
these  Sinbads  of  the  wilderness,  made  the  life  of  a  trap- 
per and  fur  trader  perfect  romance  to  me." 

Mr.  Astor  asked  that  the  forthcoming  book  should 
bear  Washington  Irving 's  name,  and  that  he  should 
prepare  the  vast  amount  of  material  gathered  for  the 
press.  Pierre  Irving  and  Fitz  Greene  Halleck  were 
invited  to  be  Mr.  Astor 's  guests  in  town  during  the  win- 
ter of  1834.  Their  host  looked  upon  the  review  of  his 
great  enterprise  as  a  pleasant  occupation  for  the  months 
of  frost  and  snow,  and  indeed  it  covered  these  months, 
and  more  which  followed.  At  the  close  of  his  task, 
Pierre  Irving  received  three  thousand  dollars  from  Mr. 
Astor,  to  which  his  uncle  added  another  thousand. 

When  Mr.  Irving  first  reviewed  the  wealth  of  material 
collected  by  his  nephew,  he  felt  at  once  that  he  would 
be  able  to  make  of  it  "a  rich  piece  of  mosaic. ' '  He 
writes  of  " '  rough-casting ' '  some  of  the  chapters  in  June 
of  the  following  year,  and  speaks  of  Pierre  Irving  as 
an  "excellent  pioneer."  In  August  of  the  same  year, 
he  was  "getting  the  narrative  into  frame,"  and  build- 
ing his  "snug  little  Dutch  nookery"  on  the  Hudson. 

Irving  spent  much  of  his  time  after  this  as  a  guest 


287 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 


of  Mr.  Astor,  until  "Astoria"  was  completed.    In  Sep- 
tember, he  wrote: 

"For  upwards  of  a  month  past  I  have  been  quar- 
tered at  Hell  Gate  with  Mr.  Astor,  and  I  have  not  had 
so  quiet  and  delightful  a  nest  since  I  have  been  in 
America.  Here  the  old  gentleman  keeps  a  kind  of 
bachelor  hall.  Halleck,  the  poet,  lives  with  him,  but 
goes  to  town  every  morning,  and  comes  out  to  dinner. 
The  only  other  member  of  the  family  is  Charles  Astor 
Bristed,  one  of  his  grandchildren,  a  very  fine  boy  of 
fourteen  years  of  age.  Pierre  Munroe  Irving  has  been 
a  guest  for  several  weeks  past,  but  has  recently  re- 
turned to  New  York.  I  cannot  tell  you  how  sweet  and 
delightful  I  have  found  this  retreat, — pure  air,  agree- 
able scenery,  a  spacious  house,  profound  quiet,  and  per- 
fect command  of  my  time  and  self.  The  consequence  is, 
that  I  have  written  more  since  I  have  been  here  than 
I  have  ever  done  in  the  same  space  of  time.  Within  the 
last  month  I  have  written  more  than  a  volume,  and  have 
got  within  a  half  dozen  chapters  of  the  end  of  my  work, 
— an  achievement  which  I  did  not  expect  to  do  for 
months.  Of  course,  there  will  be  much  to  be  done  af- 
terward, in  extending  some  parts,  touching  up  others, 
enriching  and  embellishing.  It  will  make  two  good 
volumes — probably  octavo;  and  Pierre  Munroe  thinks 
it  will  be  more  liked  than  anything  I  have  lately  writ- 
ten." 

The  later  months  of  1835,  and  earlier  part  of  1836, 
Irving  was  still  at  Mr.  Astor 's  home  busily  engaged 
polishing  and  perfecting  his  work.  Mr.  Astor  was  build- 
ing a  new  house  in  town  which  was  not  finished,  so 
with  Washington  Irving  and  his  nephew  Pierre  Irving, 
to  keep  him  company,  they  were  passing  the  winter 

288 


g  s  § 


i!' 


33s 

2 

co  x 


Writing  Astoria 


months  in  the  country,  facing  Hell  Gate  in  its  boister- 
ous wintry  aspect. 

Again,  Irving  writes:  "Mr.  Astor  does  everything  in 
his  power  to  render  our  residence  with  him  agreeable, 
and  to  detain  us  with  him  *  *  *  *  In  consequence 
of  having  so  much  leisure  and  quiet,  I  have  been  able 
to  get  on  famously  with  my  new  work,  and  hope  to 
tin  is)  i  in  the  course  of  a  few  weeks." 

In   February,   IS^O,    Irv:  \ug  ihf  book 

that  meant  so  much  to  his  old  friend,  the  author,  and 
the  reading  world.  "I  am  giving  my  last  touches  to 
•or  work.  It  is  this  handling,  which,  like  the 
touching  and  toning  of  a  picture,  gives  the  richest  ef- 
fects. I  am  interested  and  pleased  with  the  work,  and 
feel  that  the  labor  that  I  am  now  bestowing  upon  it  will 
contribute  greatly  to  its  success." 

The  book,  when  finished,  proved  to  be  a  great  gratifi- 
cation to  Mr.  Astor,  and  was  received  by  the  reading 
public  with  marked  enthusiasm.  By  many,  on  both 
sides  of  the  sea,  it  was  considered  to  be  Washington 
Irving 's  greatest  work. 

"Wolfert's  Roost,"  now  commonly  known  as  Sun- 
nyside,  Irving 's  many-gabled  home  on  the  Hudson,  had 
grown  simultaneously  with  "Astoria",  and  soon  after 
the  book  was  published,  we  find  Mr.  Astor  surprising 


289 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

Irviiig  by  a  two  days'  visit  in  his  "Dutch  nook"  near 
Tarrytown. 

Washington  Irving  was  a  most  genial  and  kindly 
host.  His  cordial  manner,  his  warm  affection  for  his 
friends,  and  his  flights  of  humor  on  the  slightest  occa- 
sion, made  it  a  rare  pleasure  to  be  his  guest.  In  fact, 
so  enjoyable  did  Mr.  Astor  find  his  stay  under  the  roof 
of  his  old  friend,  that  he  promised  to  repeat  it  as  soon 
as  it  was  good  sleighing.  From  Hell  Gate  to  Tarrytown 
was  not  an  impossible  distance  in  a  sleigh  for  those 
days,  and  the  homes  at  either  end  of  the  journey  af- 
forded a  warm  welcome  to  either  guest. 

Irving 's  intercourse  with  the  great  capitalist  was 
purely  that  of  friendship,  rather  than  a  business  rela- 
tion. Once  during  the  years  of  their  intimacy,  Mr.  Astor 
sold  Irving  a  share  in  a  town  founded  on  Green  Bay, 
Michigan.  The  land  advanced  in  value,  but  Irving 's 
share  was  not  sold.  After  the  investment  had  proved 
unsuccessful,  the  seller,  of  his  own  free  will,  took  back 
the  share  and  returned  the  original  purchase  money. 

Irving 's  refusal  to  receive  any  remuneration  from 
Mr.  Astor  in  return  for  his  work  on  "Astoria,"  whose 
publication  in  itself  brought  the  author  gratifying 
returns,  was  said  to  have  been  offset  by  Mr.  Astor 'a 
appointment  of  Washington  Irving  as  one  of  his  execu- 
tors. Acting  in  this  capacity  in  regard  to  the  Astor 


290 


Writing  Astoria 


fortune,  netted  Mr.  Astor 's  old  friend  a  sum  exceeding 
any  he  had  received  for  his  works,  except  the  "Life  of 
Columbus. ' ' 

Among  the  relics  of  Mr.  Astor 's  fur-trading  days, 
still  preserved,  are  two  medals,  such  as  it  was  customary 
for  fur  companies  to  bestow  on  Indian  Chiefs,  both  as 
marks  of  favor,  and  also  a  sign  and  a  seal  of  the 
strength  and  power  of  these  companies.  One  of  the 
Astor  medals  contains  a  portrait  of  the  great  fur  mer- 
chant, circled  by  the  words,  "President  of  the  Ameri- 
can Fur  Company,"  of  which  corporation  Mr.  Astor 
was  not  only  President,  but  the  whole  company,  the 
title  being  used  to  extend  and  facilitate  his  operations. 

The  second  medal  contains  two  clasped  hands,  with 
the  words  above  and  below,  "Peace  and  Friendship," 
and  these,  in  turn,  enclosed  by  two  pairs  of  tomahawks 
and  pipes  of  peace.  "Fort  Union"  and  "U.  M.  0."  is 
the  circled  lettering,  the  initials  standing  for  "Upper 
Missouri  Outfit,"  the  whole  being  the  name  applied 
to  a  trading  post  on  the  Yellowstone,  which  later  be- 
came a  Government  post  Both  medals  are  pierced 
with  a  hole,  and  have  evidently  been  worn  proudly  sus- 
pended from  some  savage  chieftain's  neck. 


291 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 
FOUNDING  THE  ASTOR  LIBRARY. 

THE  circle  of  literary  friends  which  Mr.  Astor  had 
gathered  about  him,  brought  a  charm  and  zest 
into  his  later  years.  Halleck's  inimitable  con- 
versational powers;  Cogswell's  mastery  of  his  mother 
tongue,  and  his  wide  and  varied  learning;  Irving 's 
warm  affection  and  sparkling  humor;  and  his  nephew, 
Pierre  Irving 's  eager  interest  in  all  Mr.  Astor  had 
planned  regarding  the  great  Astorian  enterprise;  the 
keen  intelligence  of  his  own  grandson,  Charles  Bristed, 
who  absorbed,  as  only  a  boy  can,  through  known  and 
unexplored  channels,  the  information,  adventure,  hu- 
mor and  imagination  of  this  rare  group  of  men,  all 
conspired  to  produce  an  ideal  atmosphere. 

Pierre  Irving  writes  of  dining  at  Mr.  Astor 's  at  a 
time  when  the  conversation  turned  upon  ghosts.  Sev- 
eral stories  were  cited,  whose  reliability  had  been  cred- 
ited by  eminent  men.  A  guest  present  voiced  his  sur- 
prise that  neither  Scott  nor  Dendie,  writing  of  these 
mysteries,  had  mentioned  the  story  of  Major  Blomberg. 

Two  officers  had  been  detailed  to  sit  up  with  a  body 

292 


The  Astor  Library 


in  the  West  Indies.  As  the  night  advanced,  one  officer 
had  passed  into  an  adjoining  room,  while  his  compan- 
ion remained  with  the  body.  To  the  great  surprise  of 
the  watcher,  he  saw  the  corpse  slowly  rise  and  approach 
him.  and  presently  begin  to  speak.  The  story  told  by 
this  visitor  from  the  secret  world,  was  of  a  great  wrong 
which  had  been  kept  secret.  He  had  been  permitted  to 
return,  that  amends  might  be  made.  The  apparition 
had**  the  astonished  watcher  call  his  companion,  and 
thru  told  of  a  secret  marriage  to  a  girl  in  Ireland,  who 
was  expecting  a  child ;  gave  the  name  of  the  clergyman 
who  married  them,  and  told  how  they  could  obtain  evi- 
dence. The  guest  had  seen  the  sworn  statement,  testi- 
fying to  the  truth  of  the  story  he  had  related. 

Mr.  Irving  took  the  position  that  the  man  was  not 
really  dead,  and  that  the  wrong  rested  so  heavily  on 
his  conscience  as  to  rouse  him  from  a  stupor.  He  ended 
the  serious  discussion  of  the  subject  by  his  aggrieved 
statement,  that  he,  himself,  had  been  hardly  treated  by 
the  ghosts;  that  he  had  made  efforts  to  gain  their  at- 
tention more  than  once,  but  always  failed. 

Mr.  Astor  added  much  curious  information  and  many 
unique  experiences  to  the  conversations  which  scintil- 
lated from  the  group  about  his  table. 

lint  the  intercourse  of  these  friends  did  not  begin 
and  end  with  anecdotes  and  ghost  stories.  In  these 


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The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

years  of  leisure,  Mr.  Aster's  still  active  brain  was  re- 
volving a  new  idea.  He  wished,  as  he  ultimately  con- 
fided to  his  son  and  the  circle  about  him,  to  express 
his  grateful  feelings  toward  the  city  in  which  he  had 
so  long  lived  and  prospered,  by  some  permanent  and 
valuable  memorial. 

Dr.  Cogswell  urged  the  founding  of  a  free  public  li- 
brary, which  was  warmly  seconded  by  the  remainder 
of  the  group  of  friends.  Mr.  Astor 's  decision  was 
promptly  taken  in  favor  of  this  plan.  From  the  time 
the  library  was  suggested,  it  formed  a  double  tie  be- 
tween him  and  his  literary  friends. 

In  1839,  Mr.  Astor  added  a  codicil  to  his  will  be- 
queathing three  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars  for 
the  library  he  wished  to  found,  but  later,  perceiving 
that  this  sum  would  hardly  suffice  for  carrying  out  the 
broad  schemes  already  planned,  he  added  another  fifty 
thousand.  About  this  time  the  great  financier  had  be- 
gun to  withdraw  permanently  from  the  business  world, 
which  gave  him  greater  leisure  for  plans  connected 
with  his  benevolent  purpose. 

Very  soon  Dr.  Cogswell  commenced  to  purchase 
" curious,  rare  and  beautiful  books"  for  the  library 
that  was  to  be.  Mr.  Astor  placed  sixty  thousand  dol- 
lars in  his  hands,  with  special  view  to  some  libraries 
abroad  about  to  be  offered  for  sale. 


294 


The  Astor  Library 


When  an  invitation  to  reside  with  Mr.  Astor  was 
again  repeated,  Dr.  Cogswell  accepted,  "in  the  hope 
of  advancing  the  great  project"  which  lay  very  near 
his  heart.  An  agreement  was  reached  in  which  Mr. 
Astor  offered  Dr.  Cogswell  "fifteen  hundred  dollars  a 
yrar,  and  a  convenient  office  in  town,  his  regular  busi- 
ness to  be  working  for  the  library,  and  an  occasional 
appropriation  of  an  hour  or  two  by  Mr.  Astor,  when 
he  so  desired." 

Mr.  Astor  now  gave  Dr.  Cogswell  carte  blanche  \\\ 
buy  books  at  any  time,  when  they  could  be  had  on 
good  terms,  if  suitable  for  the  library.  Dr.  Cogswell 
took  up  his  work  in  a  house  adjoining  Mr.  Astor 's,  go- 
ing with  him  to  Hell  Gate  in  the  summer,  and  con- 
tinuing to  be  the  old  gentleman 's  kindly  and  sympa- 
thetic companion  for  the  rest  of  his  life.  As  years 
passed  by,  Mr.  Astor  became  more  infirm,  and  Dr. 
Cogswell  spent  a  larger  portion  of  his  time  with  his  old 
friend.  Writing  from  Hell  Gate  in  1843,  he  speaks  of 
being  provided  with  every  comfort,  and  for  entertain- 
ment:— "Every  pleasant  day  we  take  a  steamboat,  and 
while  away  three  or  four  hours  in  the  inner  or  outer 
bay."  Dr.  Cogswell's  devotion  to  Mr.  Astor  was  re- 
ciprocated, not  only  by  the  old  gentleman  himself,  but 
also  by  the  family  he  had  so  long  been  a  part  of,  be- 


295 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

tween  whom  and  himself  there  was  a  warm  and  tender 
regard. 

Many  plans  were  made  for  the  library,  both  as  to  the 
building  and  the  gathering  of  books.  Architects,  masons 
and  contractors  were  consulted.  Both  officially  and  un- 
officially, the  project  was  present  in  the  intercourse  be- 
tween Mr.  Astor  and  his  literary  associates  for  a  num- 
ber of  years.  They  planned  together,  that  this  should 
be  a  cosmopolitan  library  of  reference  for  scholars,  and 
naturally,  in  a  matter  that  lay  so  near  their  hearts,  Mr. 
Astor's  friends  were  anxious  to  see  the  plans  material'- 
ize  before  their  eyes. 

But  in  the  man  of  great  enterprises  the  blood  was 
growing  sluggish.  Advancing  years  and  feeble  health 
were  producing  a  natural  reluctance  to  lifting  new 
burdens,  and  though  he  was  urged  again  and  again, 
by  both  Irving  and  Cogswell  to  begin  the  work,  whose 
completion  in  his  life-time  they  felt  would  bring  him 
great  satisfaction,  the  donor  of  the  Astor  Library  evi- 
dently believed  that  the  practical  labor  of  founding 
the  institution  was  for  younger  hands  than  his. 

During  these  later  years  Mr.  Astor  enjoyed  being 
read  to,  and  found  in  these  discerning  friends  able  and 
vivid  interpreters  of  the  world  of  books,  whose  opening 
vistas  were  his  delight. 

In  1842  Washington  Irving  was  appointed  minister 


296 


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to  Spain.  It  was  his  desire  that  his  old  friend,  .Joseph 
G.  Cogswell,  should  he  appointed  as  secretary  of  the 
legation.  Just  as  he  had  attained  his  desire,  Mr.  Astor 
awoke  to  what  the  absence  of  both  of  the  friends  of  tin- 
library  would  mean  for  so  long  a  period.  He  thereupon 
stepped  in  with  a  promise  to  immediately  go  on  with 
the  library,  and  the  offer  to  Cogswell  of  the  position 
of  librarian  of  that  embryo  institution. 

This  change  in  arrangements  was  a  disappointment 
to  Irving,  and  a  sacrifice  to  Cogswell,  but  the  library 
held  a  warm  place  in  Irving 's  heart,  and  he  was  unwill- 
ing to  stand  in  the  way  of  an  appointment  so  eminent- 
ly suitable.  He  was  also  in  keen  sympathy  with  the 
sacrifice  Dr.  Cogswell  was  making  in  the  cause  of 
"good  learning  in  the  land." 

So  Washington  Irving  sailed  for  Spain  with  Alex- 
ander Hamilton,  Jr.,  as  his  secretary,  and  Dr.  Cogswell 
remained  in  this  country  to  become  the  very  able  and 
untiring  organizer  and  manager  of  the  Astor  Library, 
and  eventually  to  visit  the  literary  centers  of  Europe, 
to  make  as  complete  a  collection  as  possible  of  the  books 
\vhi<-h  would  mret  the  needs  of  advanced  students. 

The  building  was  erected  in  Lafayette  Place,  New 
York  City,  and  the  Library  was  opened  January  9th 
1854,  at  the  same  date  of  the  opening  ceremonies  of  the 
.\Morlunis,  in  Waldorf,  Germany.  For  nearly  two 

297 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

generations  the  Astor  Library  was  a  source  of  reliance 
and  enjoyment  to  scholars  and  literary  men;  both  to 
those  who  were  climbing  the  lower  rounds  of  the  lad- 
der, and  also  to  many  who  were  already  famous. 

It  has  been  literally  "a  scholars*  court  of  appeal," 
and  among  the  earliest  of  the  great  city  philanthropies 
for  the  assistance  of  whoever  would  use  its  benefits.  For 
many  years  the  descendants  of  its  founder  continued 
their  gifts  to  the  institution, — in  land  for  additional 
buildings,  in  donations  and  bequests  of  large  sums  of 
money,  and  in  the  addition  of  valuable  books  and 
paintings. 

By  the  incorporation  of  the  Astor  Library  with  the 
New  York  Public  Library  during  recent  years,  the  As- 
tor Library  has  not  ceased  to  exist,  nor  to  continue  its 
beneficient  work.  John  Jacob  Astor,  as  one  of  the 
earliest  of  New  York's  philanthropists,  still  offers 
through  this  great  modern  library,  thousands  of  valu- 
able books  of  reference,  gathered  with  utmost  painstak- 
ing, through  the  years  of  half  a  century.  The  struggling 
youth  in  the  world  of  letters  may  still  find  assistance 
here,  through  the  generosity  of  the  inan  who  was  once 
a  struggling  youth  himself. 

The  years  between  Mr.  Astor 's  first  thought  of  an  of- 
fering of  public  benefit  to  the  city  of  his  adoption,  and 
the  final  completion  and  opening  of  the  Astor  Library, 

298 


The  Astor  Library 


were  years  of  seed-planting  in  the  removal  of  abuses, 
in  help  for  the  needy,  and  assistance  to  those  who  were 
trying  to  climb  into  better  conditions.  During  these 
years  Israel  Corse,  a  Quaker  leather-dealer  in  the 
"Swamp,"  was  the  leader  of  a  devoted  band  of  men 
who  rid  New  York  of  the  lotteries  which  were  sapping 
its  life.  Through  their  united  efforts,  the  selling  of  lot- 
tery tickets  became  a  crime. 

The  New  York  Association  for  Improving  the  Condi- 
tion of  the  Poor  was  organized  in  1843,  and  incorpo- 
rated in  1848.  Five  Points  Mission  had  its  inception 
during  the  same  period.  The  New  York  Free  Academy, 
which  was  later  expanded  into  the  University  of  the 
City  of  New  York,  was  opened  in  1849 ;  the  Y.  M.  C.  A. 
in  1852;  the  Children's  Aid  Society  in  1853;  the  St. 
Luke's  Hospital  in  1854;  and  the  corner  stone  of 
Cooper's  Union  was  laid  the  same  year. 

Among  the  great  crowds  of  the  old-world  population, 
which  had  sought  the  shores  of  the  "New  Land,"  with 
hope  and  large  expectations  in  their  hearts,  were  many 
who  had  not  met  with  success.  Some  could  not  adapt 
themselves  to  new  conditions;  others  were  not  rugged 
enough  for  the  rough  life  of  a  new  country;  some  had 
been  trodden  upon  by  the  fierce  striving  of  others  in 
the  race;  while  a  large  number  had  simply  not  made 


299 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

good,  and  their  children  started  life  as  handicapped  as 
their  parents  before  them. 

This  was  the  bright  dawn  of  a  day  when  men  turned 
from  wholly  self-aggrandizement,  to  consider  the  less 
fortunate  or  striving  brother  at  their  elbow, — turned, 
with  what  for  their  time,  were  munificent  gifts  in  their 
hands. 

All  honor  to  the  men  who,  like  John  Jacob  As- 
tor, took  these  first  steps  along  a  path  that  has  made 
a  half-century  glow  with  a  wealth  of  organized  chari- 
ties and  philanthropic  endeavors!  In  comparison  with 
our  own  time,  the  gifts  may  not  seem  large,  but  they 
broke  a  trail  which  has  opened  out  into  a  great  white 
light  of  beneficent  enterprise. 


300 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 
GATHERING  THE  THREADS  TOGETHER. 

LIKE  the  ships  ever  sailing  by  his  home,  at  the  gate 
of  Long  Island  Sound,  bound  for  some  safe  harbor, 
so  Mr.  Astor's  life  glided  quietly  away  in  this  ideal 
retreat  for  the  evening-tide.  He  had  passed  the  turmoil 
and  the  storms  of  life,  and  the  dangerous  reefs,  and  was 
sailing  into  port.  The  great  venturer  died  on  the  morn- 
ing of  March  29th,  1848. 

The  funeral  took  place  from  the  home  of  his  son, 
William  B.  Astor,  in  Lafayette  Place,  being  conducted 
according  to  the  liturgy  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  in 
which  church  many  of  his  children  and  grandchildren 
were  communicants.  The  pall  bearers,  David  B.  Ogden, 
Judge  Oakley,  Washington  Irving,  Ramsey  Crooks, 
Isaac  Bell,  Sylvanus  Miller,  James  G.  King,  Albert 
(i a  I  Uit  in,  Jacob  Taylor  and  Philip  Hone,  represented 
by  their  names  and  personalities,  their  sympathy  and 
co-operation  in  the  varied  interests  and  activities  that 
had  filled  the  life  of  this  remarkable  man.  ^ft 

The  gathering  of  Mr.  Astor's  great  fortune,  with  its 
(hiring  ventures,  and  ultimate  successes,  had  been  a 

301 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

matter  of  interest  to  a  vast  number  of  people  during  his 
lifetime.  How  he  had  disposed  of  it  at  his  death,  held 
their  attention  no  less.  In  the  course  of  sixty  years, 
John  Jacob  Astor  had  accumulated  an  estate,  which 
was  variously  estimated  to  be  from  twenty  to  thirty 
million  dollars.  He  was  accustomed  to  say  :  ' '  The  first 
hundred  thousand  dollars — that  was  hard  to  get;  but 
afterwards  it  was  easy  to  make  more."  Not  over  two 
million  of  his  large  fortune  came  as  the  fruits  of  the  fur 
business,  lucrative  as  that  business  had  been. 

By  far  the  larger  part  of  the  first  Astor  estate,  was 
the  result  of  the  founder 's  clear-sighted  vision  as  to  the 
future  of  New  York  city,  and  in  consequence,  his  largo 
investments  in  real  estate.  As  has  been  already  said, 
Washington  Irving,  together  with  other  of  Mr.  Astor 's 
friends,  were  made  his  executors,  and  also  trustees  of 
the  Astor  Library. 

Much  as  the  great  financier  loved  and  admired  his 
adopted  country,  he  had  retained  a  few  old  world  ideas, 
which  had  not  been  shaken  by  the  experiences  of  life, 
or  a  different  environment  from  that  of  his  youth.  The 
bulk  of  his  property  he  passed  down  to  his  son,  William 
B.  Astor,  who  had  already  inherited  a  large  fortune 
from  his  uncle  Henry  Astor,  making  him  the  richest 
man  in  the  new  world. 

The  blood  tie  was     very  strong     in  this     German- 


302 


Gathering  the  Threads 


American.  The  most  generous  instincts  of  his  heart 
were  wound  about  his  family  and  those  near  of  kin; 
and  not  only  his  son,  William  B.,  but  all  others  con- 
nected with  him,  children,  grandchildren,  nephews  and 
nieces,  were  remembered  in  his  will,  with  an  evident 
desire  to  comfortably  provide  for  them  all.  Even  the 
descendants  of  the  brother  who  had  stayed  in  Germany. 
John  Melchior  Astor,  were  left  annuities. 

For  his  unfortunate  son  he  made  careful  provision, — 
in  the  building  of  a  house  for  him  in  Fourteenth  Street, 
near  Ninth  Avenue,  which  was  to  be  his  for  life,  with 
ample  provision  for  the  most  solicitous  attention.  A 
pathetic  touch  in  this  particular  bequest,  was  the  clause 
which  stipulated  that  if  his  son  should  ever  be  restored 
to  the  use  of  his  faculties,  he  was  to  have  an  increased 
yearly  income  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars.  This 
fond  hope  of  a  father 's  heart  was  never  fulfilled,  but 
the  tenderest  care  for  the  unfortunate  one  was  evi- 
denced in  the  plans  made  for  him. 

Mr.  Astor 's  legacies  to  benevolent  objects  were  as 
wise  and  practical  as  they  had  been  through  life.  The 
four  hundred  thousand  dollars  for  the  Astor  Library 
was  the  largest  bequest,  followed  by  the  fifty  thousand 
dollars  for  the  Astorhaus  in  his  native  village.  To  the 
German  Society,  which  he  joined  soon  after  coming  to 
America,  and  to  which  he  was  ever  loyal,  he  gave  thirty 


303 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

thousand  dollars,  "on  condition  of  their  investing  it  in 
bond  and  mortgage,  and  applying  it  for  the  purpose  of 
keeping  an  office,  and  giving  advice  and  information, 
without  charge,  to  all  immigrants  arriving  in  New 
York,  and  for  the  purpose  of  protecting  them  against 
imposition."  This  element  of  looking  backward,  and 
smoothing  the  rugged  path  for  others,  over  which  he, 
himself,  had  courageously  trodden,  was  conspicuous  in 
the  givat  financier's  plans  and  bequests. 

To  the  Home  for  Aged  Ladies  he  gave  thirty  thou- 
sand dollars.  The  Blind  Asylum  and  Half-Orphan 
Asylum,  and  the  German  Reformed  Church,  of  which 
he  was  a  member,  were  also  remembered.  The  will  was 
considered  by  many  to  show  "good  sense  and  good  feel- 
ing," and  where  it  failed  to  meet  certain  obligations, 
Mr.  Astor  had  left  his  son  William  B.,  a  living  repre- 
sentative, who  in  a  number  of  cases  added  to  his 
father's  bequests;  and  as  years  went  by,  continued  his 
interest  and  his  gifts  to  the  benevolent  objects  in  which 
his  father  had  been  interested. 

From  youth  to  old  age  John  Jacob  Astor  had  a  re- 
markable personality.  His  formative  years  held  unusu- 
al phases  of  character  building.  There  were  the  years 
of  impressionable  boyhood  when  he  held  bravely  to  a 
star  of  hope,  which  shone  only  fitfully  in  the  gloom  of 
his  environment.  There  were  years  in  an  unknown  coun- 


304 


Gathering  the  Threads 


try,  with  a  strange  language  about  him,  when  he  clung 
to  a  purpose  which  required  unending  industry,  un- 
wearied patience,  unswerving  loyalty  to  the  right.  Be- 
lieving in  these  years  "that  knowledge  was  power,"  he 
used  every  means  at  his  command  to  train  his  mind  for 
future  usefulness.  Once  more  he  stood  the  test  in  a 
strange  land,  surrounded  by  hundreds  of  visionaries  and 
schemers,  and  young  men  who  had  thrown  off  the  yoke 
of  home  influence,  to  live  a  free  life  in  a  free  land.  Here 
again  he  bent  his  energies  to  the  acquisition  of  knowl- 
edge through  all  the  avenues  open  to  him,  and  these  ave- 
nues of  education  and  cultivation  grew  in  number  as  his 
life  broadened  and  progressed. 

It  was  these  early  years  and  tests,  which  in  the  end, 
identified  tin-  name  of  John  Jacob  Astor  with  ideas  of 
honesty  and  industry,  boundless  energy  and  untiring 
eiit'Tpris,  .  To  these,  he  added,  as  his  life  was  more 
and  inon-  intertwined  with  that  of  his  adopted  country, 
—patriotism  and  public  service. 

Something  of  an  inherited  courage  and  daring,  pro- 
jected into  new  channels,  called  John  Jacob  Astor  out 
from  the  old  life,  and  imbued  him  at  an  early  age  with 
a  vision  of  success.  Earnestness  and  faith  accompanied 
him  like  a  body-guard.  They  lifted  him  over  obstacles, 
and  spurred  him  on  to  fresh  exertion  after  each  repulso. 
As  the  years  went  by,  his  enthusiasm  fired  others,  thus 


305 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

carrying  into  new  regions  American  rights  and  inter- 
ests, and  turning  the  hearts  and  minds  of  men  to  the 
great  west.  Running  parallel  with  the  desire  for  per- 
sonal benefit  in  his  great  enterprises,  was  a  deep-seated 
loyalty  and  patriotism  toward  the  young  Republic  of 
which  he  was  a  part. 

Irving  writes  of  Mr.  Astor:  "He  began  his  career,  of 
course,  on  the  narrowest  scale;  but  he  brought  to  the 
task  a  persevering  industry,  a  rigid  economy,  and  strict 
integrity.  To  these  were  added,  an  inspiring  spirit  that 
always  looked  upward;  a  genius,  bold,  fertile  and  ex- 
pansive; a  sagacity  quick  to  grasp  and  convert  every 
circumstance  to  its  advantage,  and  a  singular  and  never- 
wavering  confidence  of  signal  success." 

His  friend  and  intimate  companion,  Joseph  G.  Cogs- 
well, gives  this  brief  description  of  the  great  financier: 
"He  was  a  man  of  fine  personal  appearance,  his  fea- 
tures bearing  the  stamp  of  intellectual  sagacity,  and  of 
commanding  and  pleasing  address."  He  also  adds: 
"John  Jacob  Astor 's  liberality  was  princely." 

Still  another  writer  says  of  the  great  financier:  "He 
was  a  shrewd  and  enterprising  man  of  business,  yet 
large-hearted  and  public-spirited  to  a  fault." 

Others,  in  speaking  of  his  face,  have  said  it  showed, 
"a  spirit  of  meditation,  patient  courage,  masterful 
resolve."  He  concentrated  his  thought,  and  all  his 


306 


Gathering  the  Threads 


resources  on  the  object  he  wished  to  attain.  He  relied 
upon  his  own  judgment  rather  than  that  of  others, 
but  not  without  the  fullest  information  he  could  gain 
in  regard  to  any  of  his  operations.  He  was  fond  of 
saying:  "An  ounce  of  practice  is  worth  a  pound  of 
theory."  Ingenuity,  and  making  the  most  of  an  unex- 
pected opportunity,  often  saved  the  day  for  him,  when 
a  less  ingenious  man  would  have  failed.  Supporting 
his  many  valuable  mental  characteristics,  was  an  iron 
constitution,  whose  staying  powers  were  tested  over  and 
over  again,  to  the  limit  of  his  reserve  strength. 

Judged  by  the  standards  of  his  own  day,  John  Jacob 
Astor's  public  benefactions  were  generous.  It  is  a 
question  whether  he  may  be  considered  behind  or  ahead 
of  our  time,  in  his  devotion  to  his  family,  even  to  its 
furthest  outstanding  branches.  In  regard  to  the  Asto- 
rian  enterprise,  Arthur  Butler  Hulbert  says:  "The 
spirit  which  John  Jacob  Astor  showed  has  been  the 
making  of  America.  •  «  •  •  The  first  American 
promoters,  while  seeking  personal  benefit,  were  moved 
by  considerations  of  loyalty  and  patriotism  equalled  by 
business  men  in  no  other  country  at  any  time." 

One  of  the  strongest  enconiums  which  can  be  passed 
upon  this  noted  man,  with  extraordinary  talents,  un- 
trained in  the  schools,  but  utilized  in  their  virile  freshness 
to  the  full  extent  of  the  gifts,  is,  that  he  spent  his  life 


307 


The  Original  John  Jacob  Astor 

piling  up  opportunities  for  those  who  would  follow  him. 
He  accomplished  great  things  in  his  lifetime,  and  all 
that  his  years  of  incessant  and  absorbing  work  left  no 
time  for  undertaking,  be  made  possible  for  his  descend- 
ants. To  an  unbounded  degree,  this  remarkable  man 
loved  his  adopted  country,  his  home  and  his  kindred, 
and  John  Jacob  Astor  still  lives  in  the  paths  he  opened 
for  those  who  came  after  him. 


308 


INDEX 

Page 

Adams,   President    251 

Albany 62,  76,  119,  121,  263,  286 

Allen,    Captain    Ethan 64 

American  Fur  Company 152,  165,  202,  208,  224,  291 

Amsterdam    26,    39 

Armstrong,    General 250,    260 

Armstrong,   Margaret 250,   260 

(Mrs.  William  B.  Astor.) 

Afltor,  Jacob 3,  4,  5,  20,  36 

Astor,  George 5,  39,  40 

Astor,  Henry.  .5,  43,  50,  55,  68,  69,  83,  84,  85,  229,  248,  250,  302 

Astor,    Mrs.    Henry 55 

Astor,    Melchior 5,    303 

Astor,  John  Jacob On  nearly  every  page 

Astor,  Mrs.  John  Jacob 80,  81,  135,  171,  251 

Astor,    Magdalen 81,    248 

Astor,   Eliza 85,   251,   261 

Astor,  William  B 

85,  245,  246,  249,  250,  269,  279,  301,  302,  303,  304 

Astor,    Dorothea    250 

Astor,  Emily    252 

Astor,   Catherine    248 

(Mrs.  George  Ehninger.) 

(Mrs.  Michael  Miller.) 
Astor,   Miss    248 

(Second  sister  of  John  Jacob  Astor.) 

(Mrs.  John  D.  Wendel.) 

Astor,  Colonel,  John  Jacob 253 

Astor,    William    Vincent 253 

Astor,  Ava  Alice  Muriel 253 

Astor,   John    Jacob 253 

Astor,   William   Waldorf 253 

Astor,   William   Waldorf,   Jr 253 

Astor,   John    Jacob,    (England) 253 

Astor,    Pauline    253 

(Mrs.  H.  Spender  Clay.) 

311 


Index 


Astor    Descendants    254 

Astor,    Felix    13 

Astor,  of  Lion   Inn 13 

Astor  and  Broadwood 40,  65,  120 

Astor  Hotels  124,  239,  262,  268,  269 

Astor  Library 294,  295,  296,  297,  298,  302,  303 

Astorhaus 253,  258,  259,  303 

Astoria 152.  155,  158,  164,  170,  172,  192,  193,  195,  196, 

197,  203,  204,  205,  207,  208,  209,  210,  211,  212,  213,  214,  215, 
216,  217,  219,  220,  221,  222,  223,  226,  227,  248,  288,  289,  290 

B 

Baden 14,  35,  41,  78 

Baker's   Bay    162,   196,   222 

Baltimore    44,    49 

Battery    68,    87 

Bayards    236 

Bell,    Isaac    301 

Bentzen,   Adrian    B 248 

Bigsby,   Dr 113 

Bininger,   Abraham 52,    53 

Bininger,  Abraham,  Jr 53,  54,  69,  278 

Bitterroot    Mountains    149 

Biscay,  Bay  of   91 

Black   Forest 36,   256 

Black  Hills 179,  180,  181 

Blomberg,   Major    292 

Bonaparte,   Napoleon    146 

Boone,    Daniel    174 

Boston 31,    134,    149 

Bowery 69,   81,   83,   144 

Bowne,  Robert 58,  64,  66 

Bradbury,   John    175 

Brevoort,  Henry 80,   279 

Bristed,    Rev.   John 249 

Bristed,   Charles  Astor 231,  288,   292 

Broadway 85,  87,  88,  124,  236,  238,  245,  250,  262,  266,  267 

Bro wnson,    Lieutenant     202 

Bucktail  Party    123 

Bruce,  George  and  William  Wallace 280 

Buffalo    75,  119 

Bull's    Head    43 

Burke    42 

Burns    270,   276 

Burgoyne    22 

Burwick,    William    W 268 

Burr,  Aaron 239,  240,  242,  262 

312 


Index 


c 

Caldron  Linn 185,  188,  195,  198 

Campbell  &  Adams 268 

Canada 64,  84,  94,  99,  109,  119,  121,  122,  150,  229 

Canton 127,  130,  132 

133,  134,  138,  139,  142,  153,  154,  155,  164,  203,  207,  215,  216 

Carl-Louis,  Elector  8 

Castle,  Heidelberg  24 

Chailaise  26 

Charbonneau  149 

Chauncy,  Captain  Isaac 234 

Chesapeake  Bay 45,  49 

Church,  Reformed,  Waldorf 1.  16,  23 

Church,  Roman  Catholic,  Waldorf 14,  16,  17 

Church,  German  Reformed,  New  York 

33,  69,  70,  78,  86,  126,  304 

Church,  Reformed  Dutch 69,  70,  89 

Cincinnati,  Society  of 71,  88 

Claverack  70,  76 

Clark,  Captain  William 147,  149,  174,  180 

Clark  John 195,  197,  208,  209,  210,  211,  219,  225 

Clay,  Henry  235,  251,  269,  272,  273 

Clinton,  Governor 81,  238 

Clinton,  De  Witt 246 

Cogswell,  Joseph  G....  275,  276,  278,  292,  294,  295,  296,  297,  306 

Columbia  River From  page  149-284,  inclusive 

Communipaw  123 

Commercial  Advertiser 153,  154 

Comcomly 163,  194,  196,  207,  213,  223,  224 

( 'onrad  Family  11 

Coster,  John  G 265,  266,  267 

Coues,  Dr 103 

Cosine,  John  238,  239 

Cooper,  Captain  84 

Cooper,  Peter  84 

Cowman,  Captain  233 

Cox,  Ross 170,  211,  225 

Crooks,  Ramsey 173,  186,  187,  188,  190,  193,  195,  197,  301 

D 

Dash,   John   B 78 

Day,  John 174,  178,  181,  190,  193,  195,  197,  199 

De    Lange    33 

De  Peyster,  Captain  Augustus 233,  234 

Detroit    84 

Devil's    Scuttle    Hole 186 

313 


Index 


Diederich,  George 51,  52,  58,  72 

Disappointment,  Cape   162,  222 

Dolly,  The    171 

Dorion,  Pierre 174,   180,   187 

Dutchman's  Point   84 

£ 

East  India  Company 129,  131,  132,  133,  134,  139,  142 

Eden,   Medcef    238 

Ehninger,   George    248 

Ehninger,  Mrs.  George 52,  248 

Embury,  Kate  53,  54,  55 

Ermatinger,   George   and   Charles 99,   115 

English   Channel    27 

Erie  Railroad    119 

Erie  Canal    234,   246 

F 

Falmouth    143 

Falkland    Islands    160 

Ferdinand   II 260 

Fly   Market    84 

Fort   Henry    186 

Fort    Osage    202 

Fox    42,    188 

France    152,   275 

Frankfort     11 

Franklin,  Benjamin 33,  43,  49,  88,  228 

Franklin,    Samuel    67 

Franchere,  Gabriel 160,  161,  162,  196,  225,  226 

Friends'    Meeting 67,    82 

French   Huguenots    13 

G 

Gallatin,  Albert 226,  228,  232,  235,  301 

Galloway,    Captain    153 

Garcia    145 

Gass,   Patrick    150 

Gassacop     214 

Gebhard,  Rev.  John  Frederick 23 

Gebhard,  Rev.  John  Gabriel 23,  24,  28,  32,  33,  69,  76,  78,  79 

Genthod    261 

Germany 6,  11,  13,  37,  75,  255,  260,  263,  275 

Germantown    33 

German  Society   78,  265,  303 

Girard,  Stephen    229 

Goelet,   Robert    55 

314 


Index 


Grand  Portage 101,  102,  103,  108 

Gray,   Captain    Robert 149 

Great   Lakes 105,   119,   127,   161 

Green  Bay    290 

Grim,    David    78 

Griswolds    138 

Gross,  Rev.  John   Daniel 70 

Guizot    260 

H 

Harmon,  Daniel    118 

Halleck,  Fitz-Greene 275,  276,  277,  279,  283,  287,  292 

Hamilton,  Alexander,  Jr 297 

Harrison,    Attorney   General 265 

Heeney,    Cornelius    121 

Heidelberg 16,  23,  33,  78,  257 

Helffrich,  Rev.  John 25,  26,  27,  28,  29,  31,  32,  33 

Helffenstein,  Rev.  John 25,  33 

Hell  Gate 114,  270,  271,  288,  289,  290,  295 

Henry,   Alexander,   Jr 103,   184 

Hone,  Mayor  Philip 137,  267,  278,  301 

Hone,    John 230,    234 

Hoffman,    Josiah    Ogden 285 

Horn,  Cape   156,  158,  161,  223 

Howe,  Julia  Ward 252,  253 

Rowlands    141 

Hudson's   Bay   Company 45 

Hudson    River    

60,  62,  70,  74,  75,  119,  121,  159,  238,  239,  264,  277,  290 

Hunt,  Wilson  Price From  page  156-226,  inclusive 

I 
Indians: 

Arickaras 178,  179,  180 

Blackfeet    180,    199 

Cheyennes    180 

Chinooks    163,   194 

Crows  180,  181,  182,  198,  199,  200 

Flatheads    182 

Iroquois    105 

Mandans    178 

Minitarees    149,    178 

Mohawks    74 

Oneidas    74 

Senecas    74 

Shoshoni 148,    187,    190 

Snake 182,  183,  184,  198,  199 

315 


Index 


Sioux    177 

Six  Nations 60,  61,  62 

Iron  Point    84 

Irving,  Washington 270,  275,  277,  281,  283,  284, 

285,  286,  287,  288,  289,  290,  292,  293,  296,  297,  301,  302,  306 
Irving,  Pierre  Munroe 281,  284,  287,  288,  292 

J 

Jay,  John    67 

Jeune,  Valentine 2,  16,  37 

Jefferson,  Thomas.  .88,  127,  146,  147,  151,  152,  153,  154,  235,  272 

Johnson,  John 98,  99 

Jones,    Ben     197 

• 

Kamchatka,  Sea  of 215 

Kean,   Edmund    145 

Keese,    John    67 

Kingston    70,   76 

King,    Rufus    143 

King,   James   G 279,   301 

Kurtztown     33 

L 

Lake  Champlain 64,  84,  119,  121,  159 

Lake    Erie    75 

Lake  George 62,  63,  64 

Lake  Ontario 75,  105,  213 

Lake  Superior 98,  101,  116,  117 

Lamazee    166,   168 

Langdon,  Walter    250 

Land  of  Shells 123 

Laverty,  Henry 91,  92,  229,  231 

Leggett    88 

Lewis,  Captain  Meriwether 147,  148,  149,  174,  180 

Lewis,  of  the  Tonquin 164,  168,  169 

Little  Dock  Street,  (Water  St.) 83,  85 

Livingston,  Rev.  John  Henry 24,  33 

Livingston,  Manor  of 78 

Livermore,  James 131,  132,  133 

London 5,  35,  36,  39,  41,  42,  43,  44,  48,  94,  128,  129,  137 

Long  Island   73,  89,  119,  123 

Lords  of  Lakes  and  Forests 98,  104 

Lord,    Daniel    279 

Louis,   Phillipe    260 

Louis  XIV    16 

Louisiana    146,    227 


316 


Index 


Lowhill    33 

Luther,   Martin 12,    37 

Lydig,    Philip    263 

Lydig,    David     263 

M 

Mackinaw 84,  173,  174 

Madison,  President 208,  226,  235 

Mad  River 183,  184,  199 

Malan,  Mrs  Henry 110 

Malibran,  Madame  145 

Mandarin  153,  154 

Manhattan  126,  144 

Mark,  Jacob  78 

Masons  126 

Mathews,  Charles  145 

McKay,  Alexander 158,  159,  163,  164,  167,  168,  209 

McDougal,  Duncan 158,  163, 

165,  171,  196,  208,  210,  213,  218,  220,  221,  222,  223,  224,  225 

Me  Lellan,  Robert 174,  186,  191,  193,  196,  197 

McKenzie,  Donald 173,  186,  191,  193,  197,  208,  219,  225 

McTavish,  John 208,  210,  211.  218.  219,  220,  221 

McDonald,  John  222 

Mexico  146 

Metternich  260 

Medals  291 

Merle,  George  279 

Michigan 94,  150,  290 

Miller,  Sylvanus  301 

Miller,  Joseph 174,  184 

Miller,  Michael  248 

Michilimackinac  173 

Mississippi  River 120,  141,  146,  151,  174,  227 

Missouri  River 141,  148,  149,  151,  174,  201 

Missouri  Fur  Company 291 

Mohawk  Valley  174 

Monroe,  James 204,  235 

Montreal  48,  62, 

94,  98,  101,  102,  104,  115,  119,  121,  122,  159,  231,  285,  286 

Moore,  Thomas  108 

Morris,  Roger  241 

Morris,  Mary  241 

Moreau,  General  263 

Murray,  Robert  66 

Murray,  John  66,  67 

Murray,  Lindley  66 

Murray  Hill  67 

317 


Index 


National   Bank    274 

New  Year   201,  253 

New  Jersey   31,  119,  173 

Niagara    84 

Newtown    89 

New   Calidonia    157 

Newity    167 

New  York  Life  Insurance  Company 274 

Nodowa    175 

North    Sea    27 

Northwest  Fur  Company 118,  164,  173,  197, 

204,  208,   211,   212,   218,   220,   221,  222,   223,   224,   226,   286 
Northrop,    Captain    219 

0 

Oakley,    Judge    301 

Ogdensburg 84,    285,   286 

Ogden,   Ludlow 242,   285 

Ogden,    David  B 301 

Ohio    234,    235 

Omaha    176 

Oregon    139,  150 

Oswego    84 

Ottawa  River 105,  109,  113,  115 

P 

Pacific  Fur  Company 204,  219,  225,  226 

Paff,  Michael 83,  262 

Palatinate    14 

Parish,   David    229 

Park   Theatre    145 

Pennsylvania    33,   119 

Phillipsburg    18 

Philadelphia 53,  90,  92,  229 

Philanthropies   298,  299 

Pigeon    River    101 

Pigot,    Captain    225 

Pilot    Knobs    183 

Pitt    42 

Platte   River    175 

Powder  House    67 

Prime,  Nathaniel    85,   234 

Q 

Queen  Street,  (now  Pearl) 61.  64,  72,  80,  81 

318 


Index 


R 

Red  River   102,  103 

Reformation    17,  18 

Reed    186,   193 

Revolutionary  War 51,  66,  67,  80,  241 

Rhine  River    36,  37,  38 

Rhoda  of  the  Mountain 110,  111 

Robbins,  John 90,  91,  92,  93,  229,  230,  231,  234 

Roberts,    William    121 

Robinson,    Beverley    249 

Rocky    Mountains    

. . .  .146,  148,  161,  156,  165,  166,  179,  180,  183,  209,  282,  284 

Roosevelt,    Corneliut    263 

Rochester    75 

Rogers,   Isaiah    268 

Ross,  Alexander 211,  216,  225 

Rumpff,  Count  Vincent 251 

Rutherford,    Walter    262 

Rutherford,    John    262 

Russia 156,  202,  207,  219,  225 

S 

Sacojawea    148 

Saginaw    Bay    95 

Sandwich  Islands.  134,  151,  161,  195,  196,  207,  215,  216,  217,  218 

Sandy  Hook 153,   162,  213 

Savannah    52 

Sault   Ste.   Marie 99 

Schloss    23 

Schenectady    74,  174 

Schieff elin,   Jacob    78 

Seaman,  Willet  and  Jacob 67 

Shaw,    Angus    220 

Seton,   Mr 225 

Semlar,   John    237 

Sheridan    42 

Ships : 

Albatross    217,  218,  219 

Beaver    

153,  154,  155,  195,  196,  197,  207,  208,  211,  212,  214,  215,  216 

Enterprise    212,    213 

Isaac  Todd 210,  212,  214,  219,  220,  223 

Lark 204,   205,  212,   213,   218,   219 

Panama    138,    139 

Pedler    219,   224 

Tonquin    156,  158,   159 

161,  163,  164,  166,  169,  170,  171,  172,  195,  196,  206,  208,  209 

319 


Index 


Raccoon    222,    223 

Seneca    233 

Shotwell,  William    67 

Smith,   Peter    74,   75 

Smith,  Gerrit 74,   274,   275 

Spanish  River   183,  199 

Songs    107,   108 

Sowle,  Captain 195,  196,  203,  216 

Spires     7 

Spokane    River 164,    165 

Steuben,   Baron    71,    265 

Staats,    Captain    Abraham 76 

Ste.    Anne    108 

Steiner,  Rev.  John  Philip 2,  16,  23 

St.   Lawrence  River 95,  122,  270,  286 

St.  Louis 147,  151,  158,  173,  174,  202,  206,  226 

St.  Mary,  Falls  of 115 

Stout,   Captain   Jacob 44 

Stocker,   Rev.   C.   E 259,   260 

Storms,  Peter    268 

St.    Thomas    53 

Stuart,   David    

158,  164,  165,  171,  172,  197,  209,  210,  211,  219,  222,  225 

Stuart,  Robert 158,  194,  197,  198,  199,  204,  206,  212,  222 

Stumph,  Rev.  Johann 14,  15,  16 

Sunfish    Pond    67 

Switzerland    275 

T 

Taghkanic    78 

Tammany    Hall    122 

Taylor,    Jacob    301 

Taylor,    Moses    280 

Thorburn,   Grant    87 

Thorn,  Captain  Jonathan 158,  160,  161,  167,  168,  196 

Thompson,    David    164 

Ticonderoga,    Fort    64 

Todd,   Mrs.    Sarah 72,    80 

Todd,  Miss  Sarah 72,  80,  233 

Todd,  William  W 121,  122,  280 

Treaty  of  Peace 44,  50 

Treaty  of  Ghent 231,  232 

U 

University  of  Heidelberg 23,  25 

University   of   Utrecht 24 


320 


Index 


Y 

Van  Buren,  Martin 242 

Vancouver    149,    150 

Van  Rensselaer   (Lower  Manor) 70 

W 

Wadsworth,   General    76 

Wagobish    98.   99 

Waldorf 1,    7,    8,    11, 

14,  15,  16,  18,  19,  23,  24,  32,  33,  35,  37,  51,  255,  256,  257 

Ward,    Samuel    252,    279 

Ward,    Julia    252 

Washington,  General   51,  81,  88,  150 

Washington    Seminary    78 

Webster,   Daniel 242,   269 

Weissenberg    33 

Wendel,  John  D.  Jr 248,  280 

Wendel,  John   D 248 

Wendel,  John   D.,  Mrs 248 

Wesley,   Rev.   John 52 

West   Indies 53,  55,  131,  132,  293 

Whetten,  Captain  John 44,  120,  233,  234 

Whitpain    33 

Whitefleld    Asylum    52 

Willits    88 

Wishram    166,   192 

Woodruff,   Philetus  H 268,   289 

Wood,  Maria    148 

Worcester    33 

Wrights    88 

I 

Zurich    62 

Zuyder  Zee   26 


331 


BEG29-.M6 


